The Federal Government says it will
soon launch an Information Portal to
keep Nigerians at home and in the
Diaspora abreast of government’s
programmes and policies and also get
their feedback.
The Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday
when he received the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Foreign
Affairs and Diapora, Mrs. Abike
Dabiri-Erewa.
“I think what is lacking today is that
most of our people in the Diaspora
base their views and opinions, their
actions and reactions about what is
happening at home largely on second
hand, third hand or fourth hand
information.
“This is why this particular portal is
very important. It will provide our
brothers and sisters in the Diaspora
with first-hand information on what is
happening at home.
“We will also ensure that this portal
will enable us to get a feedback from
them on what they are doing,” he said.
The minister also disclosed that town
hall meetings would be organised for
Nigerians in the Diaspora, especially
in cities with large Nigerian
communities.
He said the decision was part of efforts
to engage Nigerian living abroad on
the efforts the government was
making to develop the country.
Mohammed said there were also plans
to launch the “Change Begins With Me
Campaign’’ in some major cities across
the world with a view to reinforcing
the faith and belief of the Diaspora
Nigerians in the Nigeria Project.
He said the campaign would also
helped to carry Diaspora Nigerians
along in the rescue mission to revamp
the economy and ensure the return of
moral values that will re-position the
country on the path to greatness.
The Minister lauded the contributions
of Nigerians resident abroad to the
development of their host countries.
He noted that they remained
“Nigeria’s ambassadors, whose views
are not tainted by sectional, ethnic or
religious prejudices’’.
He said in times of recession as
currently being witnessed in Nigeria,
the contribution of the Diaspora
community was capable of reflating
the economy, particularly if the funds
they remit come through the official
sources.
“Unfortunately for us in Nigeria,
though a lot of money comes from the
Diaspora, it does not come through
official sources.
“I think that the Central Bank is also
doing everything possible to ensure
that the inflow from the Diaspora
comes through official sources,’’ he
said.
In her remarks, Dabiri-Erewa sought
the partnership of the ministry in
building a formidable structure that
would engage Nigerians in the
Diaspora.
She stressed the need for an accurate
database of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
Dabiri-Erewa said a Diaspora policy
would soon be put in place to define
and facilitate the engagement with
Nigerians residing abroad and harness
the intellects of Nigerians in various
fields.
“We are coming up with a programme
called PRIDE – The Presidential
Initiative for Diaspora Excellence.
“We will bring it down to various
fields; we are working on medicine
and agriculture.
“We are getting Nigerians in the
Diaspora in those fields that are going
to come together and make sure they
contribute positively to the progress
and development of Nigeria,’’ she said.
Dabiri-Erewa expressed the confidence
that with about 21 billion dollar
remitted to the country annually,
Nigerians in the Diaspora were
capable of pulling the country out of
recession.
She disclosed that government had the
plan to float a Diaspora Bond.
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