VICE president Professor Yemi Osinbajo has praised the UK diaspora for organising the Uncelebrated Nigerians Awards (UNA) UK saying it proves that given the right environment our natural enterpreueneral spirit will allow us to do things without the government.
This year, the foreign ministry in Abuja instructed all of Nigeria's foreign missions not to hold independence day parties due to the austere economic environment. In the UK, UNA subsequently filed the vacuum by organising what became the major independence day event, attended by Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the special assistant to the president ion diaspora affairs.
Yesterday, during a brief stopover in London on his way from the US, Professor Osinbajo, used the opportunity to hand the UNA organising committee a certificate of appreciation. Receiving it on behalf of the members, committee coordinator Ayo Akinfe thanked the government for its support and in appreciated the vice president's gesture.
During the meeting, Professor Osinbajo said the government was very keen on working with the diaspora as they are central to the Buhari administration's plans to attract foreign investment. He advised UNA to invite several governors to future events so they could explain their housing policies, which are geared towards selling new properties to Nigerians like those in the diaspora.
Professor Osinbajo said: "Inviting several state governors will be a good idea especially that of say Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, so they talk to you diasporans about housing for instance. In many states and the FCT, we are now building affordable housing, which will appeal to diasporans and they can purchase them straight from the government without going through any middle man.
"Diasporans are key to Nigeria as they have the natural enterpreueneral drive which enables us to do things once the environment is right. This government is trying to address problems such as power that have been an impediment but once we do that, we will see our natural aspirational spirit produce results."
He added that the government was also working on increasing the volume of value-added products manufactured in the country as part of its plans to diversify the economy. According to Professor Osinbajo, Nigerians do not need the government to tell them to add value to things like agricultural produce, they just need an enabling environment for their businesses to thrive.
Professor Osinbajo stated that the government was working on a range of issues like security, corruption, housing, transport and other infrastructural worries that are getting in the way of commercial expansion. He added that he would strive to attend future UNA events, which will now hold annually on the last Saturday of September just before the independence day celebrations.
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