Nigerian ambassador arrives in Qatar

Ambassador Ahmed (second left) being introduced by Maccido to Millar and other community members at the airport yesterday.By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff ReporterThe establishment of a  Nigerian diplomatic mission in Qatar has finally become a reality with the arrival of ambassador-designate Shuaibu Adamu Ahmed in Doha yesterday.The ambassador, who was received at the Doha International Airport by members of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation - Qatar Chapter, led by president Olu J Millar and general secretary Godfrey Awinoron, said the Nigerian government has realised the pressing need to establish an embassy for its citizens here given Qatar’s increasing importance in the world.“I am being designated as the first resident ambassador of Nigeria to Qatar because Nigeria felt that there should be a resident ambassador here due to the importance of Qatar in the world now, both economically and politically…so, the Nigerian government feels it’s quite strategic that it establishes a full resident diplomatic mission here,”  ambassador Ahmed told journalists at the DIA arrival lounge .Previously, the Nigerian mission in the UAE was concurrently designated to Qatar. However, Nigerians had been facing difficulties in getting access to some consular services, particularly document attestation, police character certificate and issue/renewal of passports.It is expected that setting up a mission here will create trade and investment opportunities for both countries.“We hope that in the next few days, we will get the mission up and running by opening the chancery and observing all other formalities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs here has received us well by assuring us of all necessary support to get the mission established within the shortest possible period,” he said.“I am grateful to Nigerians in Doha for this warm welcome…it’s a big surprise that members have gathered here in large numbers at the airport to welcome us. So, I want to extend my appreciation to all of you and want to say that we are here now. We are ready to promote the image of Nigeria,” he said, asking for community support to get the mission up and going.Ambassador Ahmed, who was accompanied to Qatar by Abu Dhabi mission head Abdulkadir Maccido, was full of praise for Nigerians here, saying he had been receiving messages of them being “very law-abiding” people. “While passing through the Abu Dhabi mission, an important information that I got from the ambassador there is that Nigerians in Qatar are law-abiding. The chief of protocol who received me on arrival here aired similar views, saying the Qatari government is proud that the Nigerians here are law-abiding and do not constitute any problem,” he asserted.Career diplomat Sanni Bala, who was last year announced as the ambassador-designate to Qatar by the Nigerian government, could not assume charge here because he was assigned another job back home.