PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has made a passionate appeal to Nigerians in the UK to work with his proposed diaspora commission to establish a framework under which diasporans can contribute to the country's socio-economic development.
As part as an ambitious drive to get diasporans to contribute to development, President Buhari intends to establish a diaspora commission through which Nigerians living outside the country can be engaged. A Diaspora Bill is being presented to the House of Representatives that will establish the framework under which the programme will function.
Speaking in London yesterday at a town hall meeting where she met UK diasporans, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the senior special assistant to President Buhari on diaspora and foreign affairs, said the government was keen to engage Nigerians living abroad. At the meeting which took place at the high commission in central London, Hon Dabiri-Erewa, added that things have already begun taking shape.
Hon Dabiri-Erewa said: "This government takes the diaspora very seriously and wants to engage all of you in its programmes and the future of Nigeria. We will be establishing a framework through which you can bring your skills to Nigeria and participate in your various areas of expertise.
"Things have already started with the doctors under a programme through which medical professionals can come to the country and contribute their quota. We are looking to extend that programme to all other areas so that all of you can find a way to be involved too."
She added that there are also plans by the Independent National Electoral Commission to submit an amended Electoral Bill before the National Assembly and urged diasporans to lobby parliamentarians to get them to vote for diaspora voting. According to Hon Dabiri-Erewa, past attempts to get diaspora voting accepted have failed and the only way to succeed this time is for diasporans to put pressure on the National Assembly.
Also present at the meeting, the acting high commissioner Ambassador Simon Ogah, said the mission is working on the compilation of a database of all Nigerians in the UK. When completed, this will be added to other databases being compiled by other embassies to enable the ministry of foreign affairs in Abuja compile a comprehensive list of all diasporans.
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