House Of Representatives Assure NIDCOM On Diaspora Voting
As the clamour for Diaspora voting intensifies, Hon. Tolulope
Akande-Shadipe, Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on
Diaspora Affairs has assured Nigerians living abroad that the committee
is working on it.
Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM)
in Abuja on Friday, said the House is strategizing on strengthening
existing laws through legislative reforms to guarantee voting rights for
Nigerians in the Diaspora during general elections in the country.
The Chairperson explained that the Diaspora voting bill is a sensitive
matter which requires a constitutional amendment whose passage should
not be rushed.
The lawmaker said that the nation as a whole should respect the impact
and huge contributions the Diasporans are making to the country national
development, hence the need for them to participate in the homeland
electoral process.
While commending the Abike Dabiri-Erewa led NIDCOM for its dynamism
despite the challenges the Commission is facing, she assured that the
priority of the committee was to assist NIDCOM to achieve its mandate.
Receiving the committee members in her office, the NIDCOM boss, Hon.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa thanked them for coming and solicited for their
support in helping the Commission to grow.
She listed other future plans of the Commission which include making
the Commission a revenue-generating agency, finalise a diaspora policy
for the nation and cultural exchange programmes for Nigeria children
abroad.
The NIDCOM boss, however, said that due to Covid-19 global pandemic
lockdown, remittances to Nigeria from the Diaspora will be greatly
affected as the global economy has nosedived.
She added that the pandemic has affected the annual Diaspora Day slated
for July 25 which will still hold through a virtual device where all the
stakeholders would hook on.
Dabiri-Erewa appealed to the Committee to help it grow through
legislative interventions and enhanced budget to be able to fulfill its
mandate and set out objectives.
Friday meeting is the first oversight function carried out by the
Committee since the inception of the Commission due to its lack of office
accommodation.
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