“We have a lot to do with India on Diaspora for mutual benefits”- Abike
Oru Leonard
Hon Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM has said that Nigeria and India has a lot to explore on diaspora operations for mutual benefits.
Dr Abike stated this when she paid a visit to the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Sri G. Balasubramanian, on Tuesday in Abuja.
She said the Commission had learnt and would contiune to learn from india’s Diaspora Convention called; Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh in Jan. 2023.
She also said that the purpose of coming together was about sharing information and knowledge.
“We’ve learnt a lot from the convention in India and realised that we have almost 15 out of the 17 programmes lined-up at the event that we have initiated in the last three and half years of our existence.
“We are looking forward to the remaining two which are the Diaspora Merit Award and the scholarship for our youths in diaspora who want to study at home, which India is excelling well.
“When you talk about medical tourism India diaspora had achieved that, they have been able to come back to India to set up hospitals for medical tourism.
“The good news is that our doctors are beginning to do the same, as I speak to you over 12 hospitals had been built in Nigeria by these diaspora doctors,” she said.
Speaking earlier, H. E. Balasubramanian who lauded NiDCOM’s strides in achieving and channelling the diaspora remittances back home for nation building said they were looking forward in actualising and achieving what the proposed partnership would bring for both countries that had the largest population of citizens living in the diaspora.
He promised to share and contribute India’s vast knowledge with NiDCOM, “We also want to learn from the commission on how they have been able to manage the 16 to 17 million Nigerians in the diaspora.
“We are very keen to further our relationship including in the diaspora matters and see how we can exchange ideas and learn from each other in terms of managing the diaspora.
“I was in one of such events that you organised on investment forum of diaspora investment, which was very well attended and well covered”, he said.
The Indian Envoy noted that the investment forum introduced by NiDCOM is one of the new areas his country we want to emulate.
The just-concluded 17th PBD Convention had as its theme: “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal.”
Some of the 17 activities for the PBD were plenary session on the role of the Indian diaspora in promoting healthcare ecosystems, leveraging the soft power of India, among others.
