The Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Americas (NIDOA), has implored the National Assembly to expedite action on making the dreams of their members seeking to exercise their voting rights a reality.
Members of the organization said while they look forward to that day, they were delighted to see leaders of the Nigerian parliament taking turns to make commitments towards making this dream come true.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Bukola Olaoye and Uche Uzoigwe, Chairman and Secretary, Board of Trustees of NIDOA respectively, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The association also commended the Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) under the leadership of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa for its commitment to the meticulous planning and seamless execution of this year’s edition of the Nigeria Diaspora Day held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
The event which also featured the second edition of the Diaspora merit Award with the theme: “JAPA Phenomena and Its Implications for National Development” attracted participants from far and wide.
The “JAPA” phenomenon, a colloquial term referring to the significant number of Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad, has being a subject of considerable debate among Nigerians in both formal and informal settings.
According to the statement, other Nigerians in the Diaspora who could not travel down this year, gathered at their respective branches and followed proceedings on-line as the event was streamed live on multimedia screens.
They were afforded the opportunity to link up with Abuja from New York, Australia, Ghana and many other countries for live discussions.
Resource persons also made their presentations from the U.S, UK, South Africa, India and other locations without having 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.
