President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged Nigerians in the Diaspora to make more positive contributions by bringing their skills and expertise to develop the economy of Nigeria.
The President said this at the opening session of 2024 National Diáspora Day celebration and National Diáspora Merit Award in Abuja on Thursday, stressing that Nigeria is among the top 10 countries with the most international migrants in the World.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume in the event with the theme “Japa Phenomena and its Implications for National Development” President Tinubu admitted the complexity and scale of migration of Nigerians globally and advised them to always use proper channels to seek greener pasture elsewhere.
Citing data, the President noted that 169 million international migrant workers left their countries of origin primarily to seek work, with Nigeria having a significant diaspora population.
He lamented that the current trend where the youth now embark on migration, many of them irregular, has the implications for collective growth and urged citizens not to forget their homeland.
He noted that through initiatives such as the Nigerian Diaspora Commission and presidential town hall meetings with diaspora communities, engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora is being harnessed for national development.
He lauded the Nigerians in the Diaspora for their positive contributions such as remittances of funds, adding that Nigeria received huge remittances of over $21 billion last year from Nigerians in the Diaspora.
In his remarks the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas urged cooperation between the government and the Diasporans, citing the positive results achieved so far.
The Speaker who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Benjamin Kalu said the government acknowledged the significant contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora to the country’s development, particularly in areas such as education, agriculture, ICT, transportation, and healthcare.
He also announced plans to explore ways to grant voting rights to Nigerians in the diaspora, recognizing their relevance to nation-building.
“A constitutional amendment bill has been presented to the House of Representatives, and the government is committed to making progress on this issue.”
“The diaspora community is in safe hands and I encourage you to continue contributing to the country’s growth.”
“The government is committed to investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure to retain skilled workers and attract those who have ventured abroad.”
“The National Assembly stands ready to enact necessary laws to support the return of skilled professionals and contribute to the country’s growth and implore those in the diaspora to remain committed to Nigeria’s progress and invest in local initiatives,” he added.
…Nigeria Rakes In $99 Billion In Five Years From Diaspora Remittances
Meanwhile, Nigeria reportedly raked in nearly $99 billion from Diaspora remittances in the last five years.
Chairman of NiDCOM, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa said this in her address, adding that that the National Diaspora Day Celebrations prescribed by the National Diaspora Policy is set aside to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate the over 20 million Nigerians in the Diaspora (both the modern and historic Diaspora) who are contributing immensely to national development.
“Let me also state that the contributions of the Diaspora community to national development cannot be over-emphasized. According to the World Bank statistics recently, Nigerian Diaspora has remitted over 99 billion US dollars into the system in the last five years. This is huge and highly commendable.
“Our Diaspora are known to be hard working, highly productive, patriotic, and resilient. They are also pace setters in their different fields of endeavors. It therefore falls on us to celebrate our very best, not minding that a few do fall below standard.
“Since its establishment five years ago, the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) have had so much to celebrate. This is because the passion and consistency that saw to the establishment of the Commission has been well sustained by the legacy team that built it,” she said.
The National Diaspora Day 2024 provided a platform for Nigerians in the diaspora to engage with the government and discuss ways to drive national development. The event underscored the government’s commitment to diaspora engagement and its recognition of the community’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s growth.
