Dabiri-Erewa hails signing of Diaspora Commission Bill into law

Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has described the signing into law of the Diaspora Commission Bill by Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo as “a welcome development”.
Dabiri-Erewa in a statement made available to journalists on Monday by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun in Abuja stated that the SSA was elated about the signing into law of the bill which she introduced six years ago when she was the chairperson of the House of Representatives on Diaspora Affairs.

“I’m so excited on the signing of the bill into law after introducing this bill to the Parliament about six years ago, finally, it’s now a law, we thank God.
“Our advocacy for a one stop agency for diaspora matters is finally a reality.
“I thank the National Assembly for passing the bill second time around and for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration finally signing it into law by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo”, the elated SSA said.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that 26 countries had full ministries for the Diaspora and “having a commission for our almost 15 million Nigerians abroad is a most welcome development”.

She recalled that Nigeria in June had successfully floated a $300 million Diaspora bond, saying that Nigerians abroad are so willing and eager to contribute to the development of their nation.
With the signing of the Bill into law, the head of the Commission will be appointed by the President and confirm by the Senate.
The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had assented to Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Establishment Bill 2017.

Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), said in a statement in Abuja on Monday that the acting president assented to the Bill on Friday.
He explained that the Diaspora Commission Act “establishes the commission under the supervisory jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“It has the responsibility to coordinate and organise Nigerians in and from the Diaspora to contribute human capital and material resources, including their expertise, for the development of Nigeria and its constituent states.
“It will also provide a database of Nigerians on various fields and potentialities as resource base for Nigeria and the world to draw from, as well as protect the interest of all Nigerians”.