See the new policy FG is drafting for Nigerians in Diaspora

The federal government in collaboration with the National Assembly has put in place a Diaspora Policy.

As part of efforts to invole Nigerians in the Diaspora in the economic development of Nigeria, the federal government in collaboration with the National Assembly has put in place a Diaspora Policy. 

The policy aims to among other things, get a comprehensive database of all Nigerians in the Diaspora with a view to harnessing their potentials for economic development. 

The bill has already been passed for first reading at the Senate, it was sponsored by chairman, committee on Diaspora Senator Rose Oko.

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The plan for the proposed policy was made known by the senior special assistant to President Buhari on Diaspora Matters, Abike Dabiri. 

Dabiri said that the potentials of Nigerians in diaspora could not be effectively harnessed without a policy on diaspora and a commission to carter for Nigerian in the Diaspora. 

“We must have a Diapora Policy, 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 Hose and Senate Committee on Diaspora to craft this policy on Diaspora matters. 

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This policy would be like a crust 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 diapora 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. 

Abike 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 resourse by not accommodating the Nigerians in Diaspora. 

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“There is no better time to have Nigerians in Nigeria and 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. 

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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 further said. 
In her remarks, Senator Oko said that the Senate was committeed to passing the bill establishing the Diaspora Commission adding that it had already scaled first reading in the red chambers. 

She 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 hhow we can get Foreign Direct Investments from Nigerians in the Diaspora.

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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 fairing 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.