DIASPORA DAY 2023: Only Nigerians Both Home and Abroad and can develop Nigeria- President Tinubu
Maryam Aminu
The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that only Nigerians both at home and abroad can develop Nigeria.
The President said this in his presidential address at an event to celebrate 2023 National Diaspora Day which commenced in Abuja yesterday 25th July,2023 with the theme “Consolidating Diaspora Engagement for National Development”, organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM)
Speaking on the theme: “Consolidating Diaspora for National Development”, the President noted that the theme was apt given the fact that it births the new dawn in the nation’s political journey with the aim of strengthening development in policies and programmes with the Diaspora community across the globe for national development
President Bola Tinubu who was represented by his chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila said the National Diaspora Day Celebrations prescribed by the National Diaspora Policy is set aside to recognise, acknowledge and celebrate the over 17 million Nigerians in the Diaspora who have contributed immensely to national development. The National Diaspora Policy 2021 prescribes July 25th annually.
He said, “It is also gratifying to note that we have annually on July 25th celebrated the achievements of our Diaspora, many of whom are our Ambassadors uplifting the image of Nigeria in their host countries, excelling globally and contributing immensely to Nigeria’s development by their resources, talents, skills and global exposure.
He said his government would provide an enabling platform for effective policies for the Diaspora with the view to galvanizing support for the new administration and concretising the nation’s democracy, setting a good example for other African countries to emulate.
He hinted that, our Diaspora home remittances through official channels stood at $21.9b, over four times the value of our Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The Nigerians in the Diaspora are also actively investing in our healthcare, agriculture, education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), housing and real estate, sports, transportation, oil and gas and other sectors. “This I must say is commendable and in our enlightened self-interest as only Nigerians both at home and abroad can develop Nigeria” he said, assuring that the Government of Nigeria will look at the challenges NiDCOM has enumerated with a view to ameliorating same so that we will harvest maximally the benefits of our engagements with our Diaspora for national development
Delivering her special remarks, the Chairman, Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, noted that many countries cutting across all the continents of the world have evidence and testimonials of accelerated national development to their Diaspora engagements.
She mentioned countries like India, Israel, Germany, China, Italy and Ghana that have harnessed their Diaspora resources meticulously and judiciously, towards socio-economic growth and development and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
She added that the theme of the day was a summary of the entire mandate of NiDCOM which is to engage and harness the talents, skills, resources and global exposure of Nigerians in the Diaspora for national development.
“Our interactions with the Diaspora community during this year’s National Diaspora Day celebrations therefore are expected to mobilise the Diaspora to key into some of the programmes of the government and to chart improved and better ways on how to achieve the positive results for national development within the Ahmed Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda.”
She listed out some major NiDCOM’s Programmes which include: National Diaspora Day: 25th July every year, which has been set aside for this annual event. She also mentioned the DIASPORA MERIT AWARD, aimed at recognizing and celebrating our over 17 million Nigerians in the Diaspora.
The commission also has the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit: A private sector initiative, aimed at harnessing investment opportunities in the Diaspora for national development; The Badagry Door of Return Festival to commemorate the end of the slave trade era and the significance of the ancient city during the period and the State Diaspora Focal Point Officer’s Summit aimed at domesticating the activities of NiDCOM at the state level.
The Chairman urged the federal government for a review of the Act setting up NiDCOM to streamline its activities by setting up a sustaining funding mechanism for the commission’s activities.
She encouraged the government to support and conclude the setting up of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Fund (NDIF) as an investment window for the Diaspora, and the setting up of a Diaspora Intervention Fund for emergencies involving the Diaspora
Speaking also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adamu Lamuwa, stated that Nigerians in the diaspora must be sustained towards achieving a developed country.
Lamuwa stated “We have entered a new phase of consolidating diaspora engagement to promote national development.
