The Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Americas (NIDOA) has called on the National Assembly to accelerate the process of granting voting rights to their members.
NIDOA members expressed their eagerness for this advancement and were encouraged by commitments from Nigerian parliamentary leaders to achieve this goal.
This request was articulated in a statement signed by Mr. Bukola Olaoye and Uche Uzoigwe, Chairman and Secretary of the NIDOA Board of Trustees, respectively, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The organization also commended the Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), under the leadership of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for its meticulous planning and smooth execution of this year’s Nigeria Diaspora Day, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
The event, which featured the second edition of the Diaspora Merit Award with the theme “JAPA Phenomena and Its Implications for National Development,” attracted participants globally.
The “JAPA” phenomenon, referring to the significant number of Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad, has been a major topic of discussion among Nigerians both formally and informally.
The statement noted that Nigerians in the Diaspora who couldn’t attend in person gathered at their local branches and followed the proceedings online, as the event was streamed live.
Participants from New York, Australia, Ghana, and many other countries connected with Abuja for live discussions.
Resource persons also delivered presentations from the U.S., UK, South Africa, India, and other locations without needing to be physically present in Nigeria.
The statement read in part, “The discussions, presentations and insights shared during the event were thought-provoking and highlight the complexities and opportunities presented by the JAPA Phenomena.
“It is commendable how the event brought together diverse voices from various sectors to deliberate on the ways in which the Diaspora community can contribute to national development despite the challenges of migration.
“The innovative ideas and strategies discussed will undoubtedly serve as a foundation for future policies and initiatives aimed at leveraging the talents and resources of our diaspora community”, the statement reads.
NIDOA who were represented at the event by a strong delegation led by the BOT Chairman, Mr. Olaoye, noted that different speakers in their keynote remarks and discussions, shed more light on the push and pull factors driving emigration, emphasized the importance of creating a conducive environment for talent retention and reversing brain-drain thereby turning it to brain-gain.
NIDOA expressed gratitude to Hon Dabiri-Erewa and her team for organizing an occasion that afforded participants the opportunity to network among themselves, encouraging unity and friendship which is expected to lead to collaborative initiatives between the diaspora community and local entities in the days ahead.
“NIDOA delegates were able to engage other continental delegates and also connected with representatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service and had fruitful discussions concerning passport intervention for members, and plans for future ICT partnership among others”. The statement added.
