Reports reaching Newsdiaryonline.com from Madrid ,Spain indicate that Nigeria’s new ambassador there ,Bianca Ojukwu may have started her tour of duty on a controversial note.It was learnt that there is unease over some of the steps she has taken which border on alleged error of judgment on matters relating to finances.
Ambassador Bianca ,it was learnt has refused to move into the official residence designated Nigerian ambassador in Spain.She has rather been staying at Hotel Continental ,Madrid which sources claim may costs her about $4000 per night. This amount is believed to be an unwise expenditure because there is an official residence which she could easily and comfortably live in at far less cost.
A source in spain on Thursday said her expenditure got to another worrying level when she hosted a cocktail for about 300 people after she had submitted her letter to the Spanish authority”two days ago”.Diplomatic sources said the coctail expenses came to about $100,000 because it was held surprisingly at the hotel.
Sources close to Ambassador Bianca said she has been paying for her stay at the hotel and other expenses all by herself .’She is spending her money so far’ a source claimed .But she may be doing so , an official claimed, in the hope that she would be reimbursed.
And this revelation is what is causing concern among Nigerians in Spain because the cost is growing .”If she continues to incur such huge bills and pay for them all by herself, there may be nothing left to take care of the staff and others at the embassy whenever she is reimbursed from the funds for the Spanish embassy.We are just trying to get her to relocate to her official residence as a cost cutting measure” a source who spoke under condition of anonymity said.
This fear is heightened by the reports that there is no money at the embassy at the moment.
At the moment , it is unclear why Bianca has refused to move into her official residence.But one of those conversant with the building in Madrid told Newsdiaryonline that “it is a fantastic residence.One of the best in the world.”
So what’s going on?
