By CHARITY MOONGA  – in Abuja Nigeria
DEFENCE Minister Edgar Lungu has implored Zambians in Nigeria to learn the positive attributes of the Nigerians and transmit them to Zambia for the benefit of the country.
Mr Lungu said it was important for Zambians to ensure that they learnt the best practices of the people of Nigeria and use them to assist develop Zambia.
He was speaking when he addressed staff at the Zambian Embassy in Abuja yesterday.
Mr Lungu said Zambians resident in Nigeria were the interface of the country and, therefore, should adopt the good attributes of Nigeria.
“Speak for us and be the link between Zambia and Nigeria,” Mr Lungu said.
Earlier, Zambian High Commission Charge d’Affaires Loveness Mulimbika said the lack of an immigration office had affected the operations of the office as the same staff had to deal with immigration issues.
Ms Mulimbika said the need for an immigration office was key as the embassy was also in charge of addressing issues of Zambians in Mali and Senegal.
Mr Lungu assured the High Commission staff that he would raise the issue and urged the embassy staff to work hard.
He took the embassy staff to task over the absence of the Zambian flag and other national emblems like the court of arms at the embassy in Nigeria.
“I haven’t seen the Zambian flag, l have just seen the portrait of the President. You need to re-organise yourselves and make us feel that we
have come to Zambia in Nigeria. We need an emblem or logo of the Zambian nation,” he said.
Mr Lungu was in Nigeria to attend celebrations of that country’s 100 years of amalgamation which coincided with the defence and security
conference.