By Dada Ahmed
(Abuja)
An estimated 17 million Nigerians are scattered all over the world accomplishing excellent feats in medicine, Health, high tech, education, economy and many others, both to their host countries and country of origin.
In the same vein,the country is experiencing the feminisation of migration, a situation where more women are getting involved than men in labour migration.
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), disclosed this in Abuja at a Lecture she delivered entitled: “Migration, Diaspora and Africa’s Development” at the National Defence College, Abuja for Participants of Course 29 in Abuja.
She described migration as a natural phenomenon that could not be stopped, adding that it must be managed and encouraged to elicit its positive impact on the migrant, the country of origin and the host country.
The NIDCOM boss maintained that the Diaspora Phenomena was the product of legitimate migration, hence, the need for regular(legal) migration as opposed to irregular(illegal) migration.
According to her, the Commission is in high level talks with countries, especially in Europe to mainstream migration issues for a win win situation for destination and departure countries.
Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit,
NIDCOM, in a statement,qouted his boss as having identified key drivers of migration to include: security, economic, environmental, socio- political and other pull and push factors.
The NIDCOM boss maintained that the Diaspora Phenomena is the product of legitimate migration, hence, the need for regular(legal) migration as opposed to irregular(illegal) migration.
Dabiri-Erewa further disclosed that
in 2019 alone, Nigerians in Diaspora remitted about $25billion dollars to shore up the economy.
She added that the Commission was ever ready to act as a bridge between Nigeria and its Diasporas, to harness the abundant human capital, skills and talents to build a formidable nation.
Dabiri-Erewa assured that the Commission had its contact Desks in international and governmental agencies to liaise and speed up intervention processes.
The Commandant, National Defence College,Abuja, Rear Admiral Makanju Mackson Kadiri, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the wisdom in establishing the Nigerians in Diaspora, Commission, NIDCOM, for the the needs of millions of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
The Commandant and participants also commended the NIDCOM Boss for her passion, dedication and commitment to duty and promised that the College would always be one of the frontier supporters of the Commission and its objectives.