Business
Tambunal Tasks Nigerians In Diaspora On Dev
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Aminu Tambuwal, has said that Nigerians in the Diaspora have potential to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
Tambuwal made the statement at the National Diaspora policy advocacy workshop, organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Abuja on Monday.
The speaker, who was represented by the Majority Leader, Rep. Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP-Oyo), said the assembly was working on ways to encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to invest at home.
“In addition to remittances sent home by Nigerians, we are working to encourage the Diaspora to invest in emerging industries,’’ he said.
He said remittances from the Diaspora remained one of the largest sources of foreign exchange inflow into the country, adding that the World Bank had ranked Nigeria as the fifth topmost recipient countries of Diaspora remittances.
He said that apart from remittances to the country, the Diaspora also contributed through direct investments.
Tambuwal urged the committee to ensure a structured protection of Nigerians abroad and evaluate the relevance of a National Diaspora policy.
He said that Diaspora issues would continue to assume an important place in the country’s political agenda.
The Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, (ACN-Lagos), said since the inception of the committee, it had intervened in some Diaspora issues.
She said that with a Diaspora policy in place, Africa would surpass India in Diaspora matters.
Dabiri-Erewa said the establishment of a Diaspora commission would complement Diaspora activities.
Mr Charles Kwenin, IOM Senior Regional Adviser for Africa, said that Africans in the Diaspora remitted 60 billion dollars to Africa in 2012.
Kwenin said that there was a need for the formulation of a Diaspora policy to enhance its activities.
He said that the organisation was looking forward to working closely with the committee on Diaspora issues.
“We attach a great deal of importance to Diaspora activities,’’ he said.