The Presidency is set to partner the National Assembly on a new policy to
cater for the needs and inclusiveness of Nigerians in Diaspora.
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Diaspora and Foreign Relations gave this cheering news when she led a
delegation to visit the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, Sen. Rose
Oko in Abuja on Tuesday.
She said that the potentials of Nigerians in the diaspora could not be
effectively harnessed without a Diaspora policy and a commission to carter
for the Nigerians in the Diaspora.
“We must have a Diapora Policy as soon as possible, Nigeria does not have
Diaspora policy, so the first thing we would be doing is crafting a
Diaspora policy.
“We will be working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the House and
Senate Committee on Diaspora to craft this policy on Diaspora matters.
“This policy would be like a thrust for every other thing that we are
going to do and work on that will start very soon, we are going to get
every Nigerian in the diaspora to contribute to the policy.
“Without the policy we cannot do anything so that is very critical, and of
course the Diaspora Commission Bill is also very critical,” she said.
She recalled that the Bill to create a Diaspora Commission was passed by
the 7th Assembly but was not assented to and therefore urged the 8th
National Assembly to revisit the bill.
She said that with the policy and the commission, it would be important to
have a database of Nigerians in the Diaspora with a view to reaping good
benefits from them.
She added that the nation may be ignoring an untapped resource by not
accommodating the Nigerians in Diaspora who has remitted over $21 billion
dollars annually to the country.
“There is no better time to have Nigerians in Diapora collaborating to get
the best for Nigeria.
“The issue of Diaspora voting is also important but that would depend on
the National Assembly if they decide to amend the constitution to make
this possible.
“Perhaps the economic survival of Nigeria could depend a lot on the
Nigerians in the Diaspora, if they were able to remit $21 billion in 2014
they can be able to do more.
“President Buhari is willing that is why for the first time he has an SSA
on Diaspora, we have a committee in the Senate, we have a committee in the
House.
“We have committed Nigerians in the diaspora who are contributing to the
World economy so we have no excuse not to tap into this enormous human
resource.
“Because of its importance, 26 countries have formed ministries for the
diaspora, we should not let other countries beat us to it because ours is
part of the largest population,”” she said.
In her remarks, Sen. Oko said that the Senate was committed to passing the
bill establishing the Diaspora Commission adding that it had already
scaled first reading in the Senate.
The lawmaker said that the Senate was already looking at all the key areas
that the SSA mentioned, adding that any part that required the
intervention of the senate would be immediately addressed.
“We will work with you and also with Nigerians in the Diaspora to look at
how we can get Foreign Direct Investments from Nigerians in the Diaspora.
The issue of Diaspora Commission would be addressed by this Senate, we
would also look at the Policy on diaspora and make our contributions too,”
she said.
The Senator noted that it was pertinent for the nation to know the number
of its nationals abroad and how they were faring so as to be able to
intervene in the event of unjust treatment.
She urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to be worthy ambassadors of Nigeria,
stressing that Nigeria would not stick its neck out for any Nigerians who
disobeys the laws of the country of residence.