Leadership (Abuja)
Prince Charles Dickson
26 December 2008
Abuja — Hon. Abike Dabiri, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, has said that the Committee was working on citizens diplomacy by creating Diaspora desks in all Nigerian missons abroad.In a statement issued in Abuja by the Committee, Dabiri made the remark at a conference organised in London by the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC).
The conference was tagged:" Linkages with Experts and Academicians in Diaspora" (LEAD).The lawmaker said there was need to build confidence back home as well as among Nigerians in Diaspora to make them contribute their quota to the development of the nation."We need to build confidence back home as well as amongst Nigerians in Diaspora with a bid to make them contribute their bit to the development of Nigeria."We also need to work on citizens diplomacy by creating Diaspora desks in all embassies and High Commissions abroad", she said.Apparently worried about the image of Nigeria abroad, the lawmaker said the National Assembly would do everything possible through legislation to make Nigerians living abroad enjoy their stay overseas as well as project good image for Nigeria."Nigerians abroad have to be properly treated, no matter their status, be they drug dealers in Indonesia, prostitutes in Italy or professionals, this will give them a sense of belonging that will in turn encourage them to contribute to Nigeria's development," Dabiri said.Dabiri also disclosed that the total remittance of Nigerians in Diaspora was not less than N18 Billion annually.
She said no fewer than three million Nigerians were living in the United Kingdom alone, adding that the number could transform Nigeria if they gave a bit of their expertise to the Nigerian Project.Dabiri said the London conference was not just a "talk shop" but a call to action by all stakeholders to see how everybody could contribute to the development of the nation.She said the conference was the first of its kind, adding that others would be held in Europe and the U.S to harness the potentials of Nigerians in Diaspora.
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The problem with nigeria foreign ministries abroad is not just diaspora sit!the idea of posting unqualified people as diplomats is so digusting!people are been posted cos of quata system!whne will all these stop!Beside, posting some officials of NIA who does not know there job or cannot even tell anything about there host country has been a waste of funds, cos what i see as nia a the biggest disgrace. and i have my reasons ask one nia memeber what information they have gathered in any of there host country and what u get is nothing… [Read Full Text]
The problem we have in Nigeria is the political class. Politicians have impoverished and /or looted Nigeria. Begining from the President to local government level.
We decide to continue to suffer in foreign land is because the political elites loot Nigeria treasury and refuse to develop Nigeria.
The former President Olusegun Obasonjo promised everything to make Nigeria have a stable electricity. As st the end of his tenure, he failed woefully. He joined the looting club.
Nigerians who live abroad return about 20 billion US dollars annually. But in contrast, our political class export not less that… [Read Full Text]
Hon Dabiri, I greet you and commend your efforts in trying to carry out your job. I never new our legislation has interest in the Nigerians abroad. Tell me, how can a person who doesn't understand the language of a country be appointed the ambassador of that country? In what way do you think a good relationship between host country and the ambassador could grip fast if they can't exchange ideas freelly without recalling to the interrpreter? We have many Nigerians abroad who are qualified for this job but are not given the opportunity to do so. If you really… [Read Full Text]