Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state has expressed the willingness of the state to take diaspora sensitisation and advocacy message to the three senatorial zones in the state to provide the local communities the necessary opportunities and create awareness for better coordination and to maximise impact.
The Governor was speaking in Kano during the 4th Zonal Sensitisation and Advocacy Program for Promoting Diaspora Investment Potentials in Northwest Nigeria with the theme: “Unlocking the Potentials for Diaspora Investment in the Northwest Nigeria. Opportunities, Advocacy Strategies, Enabling Policies and Challenges”.
Yusuf, who was represented by the Major Gen. Idris Inuwa Rtd, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Special Services, commended NiDCOM for taking this advocacy throughout the country and for the choice of discussion.
He said Kano and the entire Northwest is ready to leverage and harness the full potentials of its diasporas, adding that the zone is rich in Agriculture, mineral resources, human capacity, and enabling environment.
Yusuf further reiterated his commitment to diaspora engagement by setting two diaspora portfolios and officers for greater economic prosperity.
Earlier, the Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa represented by the Secretary to the Commission, Engr. Dr Sule Yakubu Bassi, explained the role the diasporas play in the economy of Nigeria.
She said the diaspora has skills, talent, resources, cutting edge technologies, global exposure, network for attracting funds, etc, that can bring prosperity to Nigeria.
She added that the diaspora has brought over 90 billion dollars to Nigeria as diaspora home remittances in the last five years.
She added that the 3Es in diaspora engagement strategies as a) engage: connect with them by reaching out, b) enable; provide them with opportunities to contribute, and c) empower them; by encourage them to take on leadership roles whereby they will be able to give back.
Dabiri-Erewa, however, appealed to State Governments in the zone to key into diaspora engagement, break the trust deficit, and maximise the potentials of their diasporas.
She stressed the need for both Nigerians at home and those abroad to work together to achieve developmental goals for Nigeria’s advancement.
She maintained that the diaspora is a low hanging fruit that must be intentionally leveraged and harnessed for requisite output across different sectors of Northwest economy.
There were goodwill messages from the Special Advisers to Kano State Governor on Diaspora Matters, Dr Abdulhameed Umar Danladi and Hon. Aliyu Wakili, Special Adviser on Disaster Management, Mr Abubakar Usman, Special Advisers on Vocational Education, Labour Matters.
Participants included Kano State Government Officials, Foreign Students Association, Associations of Scholars in Kano State, Students from Bayero University, Aliko Dangote University, School of Nursing, School of Hygiene in Kano State, Kano State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA), and Private sector.
The sensitisation in Kano brought to four of the zonal Diaspora advocacy programme which was flagged off in Lagos for South West, Enugu for South East and Bauchi, for North East.
E-signed.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit NiDCOM, Abuja.