Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister visits Botswana

Florence Radull
Correspondent | Friday March 12, 2010 00:00

Onuh made this appeal during the visit of Nigerian Foreign Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe to Botswana this week.Onuh said Nigerian citizens resident in Botswana face a lot of challenges in obtaining the new E-passports.

'The introduction of these passports requires applicants to be physically present at our Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa in order to capture their finger-prints, photos and other information, prior to the issuance of the passports,' he said. This, he added, created challenges for those who had lost their old passports or others who had to travel with babies born in Botswana. 'If this service is decentralised it would definitely alleviate the suffering of our people living in this Republic,' said Onuh.

In turn Onuh commended the cordial relations between the two countries, which have culminated in the opening of the Botswana High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria and the subsequent appointment of Clifford Maribe as head of the mission. 'The appointment of a substantive head of mission has already raised our bilateral relations to another height,' he said.

Onuh noted the pledge made by Phandu Skelemani, Botswana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on his arrival in Botswana, concerning the revival of the moribund Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation Agreement, whose first meeting took place in Abuja in 2002. 'I am happy that we have a date set for the next meeting to take place in Gaborone in a couple of weeks,' he said.

Chief Maduekwe returned to Nigeria on Wednesday after paying a courtesy call on President Ian Khama.