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Nigerians in Diaspora can’t vote until we amend the Constitution – Gbajabiamila

Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, says that constitutional amendment is needed before Nigerians in diaspora can be allowed to vote.

Gbajabiamila said this at the Diaspora Voting Stakeholders Workshop in Abuja.

He said that millions of Nigerians, who resided outside the country, had as much a stake in the present and future of Nigeria as those who lived in the country.

“Nigerians abroad use their resources to develop businesses and support family members here at home; they invest in their communities and support national development, so it is not strange that they are seeking to participate in the electoral process.

“But, before allowing diaspora voting, there is a need to plan well by first understanding the nuances, intricacies and the hurdles in front, before considering diaspora voting if Nigeria will get it right.

“I was the principal officer when this bill came up in the 7^th assembly and I shut the Nigeria in diaspora voting bill down.

“I did that for reasons the house came to understand; the language of the constitution is black and white and it states that you can only vote if you are resident in Nigeria.

“So, bringing a bill for diaspora voting at that time was a wrong move because you cannot use a bill to amend the constitution and it was on that basis that we could not take that bill.

“I am not proud of it but it was a necessity and someone had to take the responsibility; I am for diaspora voting, but all I am saying is that we have to do it right, so for that bill to stand, the constitution has to be amended first,’’ he said.

Gbajabiamila said that there was need to check if Nigeria was ready for diaspora voting because the elections conducted here come with a lot of issues and many litigation, afterward.

“Our elections here are not yet perfect, so how do we deal with diaspora voting? here, we consistently have litigation after elections, so how do we deal with that in diaspora voting?

“There are issues with diaspora voting, for instance, which of the elections will they participate in and which court will they eventually go to in case of litigation after elections?

“The topic of diaspora voting has, within a short period of time, become a matter of intense public debate; it causes us to confront the simple, unavoidable reality that this is a subject matter for which we must find resolution within the shortest possible time,” he said.

Gbajabiamila said that the workshop provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to jointly consider the value of the proposals being currently offered and develop therefrom, a workable plan of action for policy makers and the general public.

Dr Ajibola Bashiru, Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, said that the agenda of the 9^th assembly was to work for Nigerians but that the issue of diaspora voting should be a consensus with Nigerians.

Bashiru said that there was need to look at what the constitution said about such bills before it would be passed, marking out all the intricate parts to be taken into consideration.

Earlier, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who was represented by Dr Mohammed Lecky, National Commissioner of INEC, said that the commission was ready for diaspora voting.

Yakubu, however, said that legislative backing remained a challenge.

“We cannot have inclusiveness without carrying every Nigerian, wherever he or she may be, along in the electoral process; we need to bring our diasporas into the voting system because they matter.

“ This is a subject matter in which the commission has shown a great deal of interest; we have studied it very carefully and positioned ourselves to do the needful at the appropriate time. We are ready,’’ the INEC chairman said.

Yakubu said that the commission had a wide range of first hand knowledge on how other election management bodies handled issues of diaspora voting, adding that there was no reason why Nigeria should not practice diaspora voting.

He said that the commission was convinced that diaspora voting was the way to go but hurdles like the election to allow diasporas participate in, logistics, funding, legislation among others still needed to be addressed.(NAN)

February 18, 2020
Minister announces Coronavirus test result on two Nigerians

The outcome of the coronavirus test on two Nigerians is negative, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Emmanuel Ehanire, has said.

He announced this during the opening ceremony of Kano State Primary Health Summit at Government House on Wednesday.

He said the two suspected cases of coronavirus tested negative after they were diagnosed in the country

The minister said Nigeria has three well-equipped centres to diagnose the deadly disease and other viral infections.

Ehanire said the Ministry of Health is ready to contain the novel Coronavirus infectious disease if eventually, it breaks out in Nigeria.

When he appeared before the Senate Committee on Health, Ehanire had said FG would spend N620m special intervention fund to monitor, detect and contain coronavirus.

February 12, 2020
9 Nigerians to take part in TRCN online exams in UK, USA, others

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) says nine Nigerians will take part in its Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE) in UK, USA, Canada and South Africa. Mr Gbolahan Emilolobo, Head, Certification and Licensing of the council made this known during a meeting with State Coordinators and Technical Committee on Instruments for Monitoring of Disengagement of Unqualified Teachers in Abuja on Thursday. Emilolobo said the council had launched an online platform for its PQE sometimes in September 2019 that would allow Nigerians in Diaspora to register.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that TRCN through the National Council on Education (NCE) made a move on the compulsory PQE as Dec. 31, 2019 was set as deadline for unqualified teachers to be weeded out of the sector. This is in a bid to sanitise the school system as well as riding the nation’s education sector especially the basic and secondary schools of quacks and unprofessional teachers. “The online platform was launched in September 2019, we had the first batch consisted about six candidates and the examination took place in November. “The council started its operations as far back as 2001 and Nigerians been what we are, the nonchalant attitude put up by some when they are in the country which they thought they have nothing to do with the TRCN certificate. “By the time they got outside the country, there usually a problem that you cannot practice without having the TRCN certificate so they have to start writing us letter of professional standing for them to be able to affirm that they are practicing in the country. “The PQE have both local and international. For those who have left without the PQE will have to sit for the exam. So the second batch is coming up today in four countries. “We try and enlighten Nigerians that the exam is not for local teachers alone but also international teachers.’’ Emilolobo added: “We have a kind of relationship between Nigeria and other nations in as much that we cannot take their certificate without qualifying exam, the same thing happens with them.’’ He, therefore, called on management of schools especially the private schools to as a matter of urgency implore their teachers to register before actions would begin to weed them out of the system.

February 6, 2020
Oba of Benin calls for peaceful co-existence, unity among Nigerians

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II on Friday called for the peaceful co-existence and unity among Nigerians.

Ewuare II made the call during a courtesy visit on the governor of Niger, Alhaji Abubakar Bello, at Government House, Minna.

“There is need to pray for peaceful co-existence and unity of Nigeria,” he said.

He said that Edo and Niger states have a long sustained relationship dating back to its creation by the ex-military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

The traditional ruler, who was happy with the warm reception accorded Edo indigenes in the state, added that his visit would further boost the bond of relationship between the two states.

He said that the visit was to reciprocate the gesture done him by the state Governor and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Chairman of the state council of traditional leaders who attended his coronation in Benin city.

Responding, Bello who was represented by the state deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso said Niger has a sustained relationship with the traditional rukers in the state.

“We will continue to make the traditional institution relevant and also sustain the existing relationship,” he said.

He said that the roles of traditional leaders in the country must be supported and respected in view of their significance as the custodian of cultures of every society.

The governor noted that many social vices in the country could be tackled if the traditional institutions are strengthened and recognised by governments at all levels.

He said that Ewuare’s visit would further strengthen the long cordial relationship existing between the two states.

Bello gave the assurance that the state government would continue to respect the rights of non indigines in the state.

The Oba was accompanied by the Etsu Nupe and other High Chiefs from Niger and Edo. (NAN)

January 25, 2020
Status of DisCos: NEC committee to invite memoranda from Nigerians

The National Economic Council(NEC)’s committee on review of the status and ownership of Electricity Distribution Companies(DisCos), says it will seek contributions from the general public on how to solve the challenge of electricity in Nigeria.

Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, who chairs the committee, briefed State House correspondents after the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

El Rufai said that the committee presented a report to NEC on the progress made so far and also on the need to get inputs from as many Nigerians as possible.

“The committee met five times since its inauguration of Dec. 5, 2019; we have significant progress in getting presentations from all the stakeholders in the electricity supply industry.

“We all agreed that the electricity supply industry is broken and the situation of the power sector is a national emergency that requires all hands to be put on deck to interrogate why the sector is not working for the overall progress and benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians.

“We have received presentations from virtually all the stakeholders; we came to ask that we co-opt the Association of Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria to be members of the committee and the Association of Electricity Generating Companies in Nigeria and NEC approved that.

“We updated NEC on what we have found so far, and promised that work on this will continue and we will submit our report in the shortest possible time.

“But the electricity industry is complicated; it is quite complex and technical; even those of us that have been asked to be members of the committee are learning a lot in the various presentations; sometimes conflicting presentations are received from various stakeholders in the power sector.”

He said that there was need for an honest national conversation to find a way to fix the sector as the country would never make progress, create jobs or industrialise without a functioning electricity industry.

“As part of our request, we asked from NEC to not only receive memoranda and inputs from participants from the industry, but, for the very first time, to open this conversation to members of the public.

“ So, we are inviting memoranda through newspaper adverts placements very soon, inviting memoranda from the general public; everyone in Nigeria is affected by electricity and we want to hear your views on what you think is wrong with the sector; what your experiences are in dealing with the distribution companies; what you think are solutions to these problems.’’

He said that the second NEC committee was tasked on leveraging a portion of the accumulated pension funds for long-term investments in infrastructure.

El Rufai said that in 2019 Budget, the budget for construction and maintenance of federal highways was about N200 billion.

He said that the approved budget of 2020 for construction and maintenance of all the federal highways was something in the region of N169 billion.

He said that if the country continued budgeting N160billion, N200billion, N300billion, even N500billion, it would not have functional roads.

“ We must find a way to unlock large amount of monies that can be used to reconstruct our highways and maintain existing highway; and we will not be able to do so with N100, N200, N400 billion every year.

“What we have found in every country that we virtually studied is that these highway infrastructures were constructed using long-term funds both by federal, state governments as well as the private sector.

“The question is where do we find this long term funds? when we started the pension reforms, when I was head of BPE in 2002, 2003, the whole idea was to fix a problem that faced Nigeria at the time. People were dying queuing to receive their pensions.

“But in the process of solving that we realised that there is a long term opportunity through contributory pension schemes to accumulate large amount that can be used to invest in long term projects like infrastructure.’’

According to him, it is done in Chile, South Africa and many other developed and developing countries.

He said that those countries used the pension funds as long-term funds to develop infrastructure and other key sectors of the economy.

“ And today, due to the reforms that we started around 2002, 2003, it culminated into the enactment of the Pension Reform Act in 2004.

“Today, as at December last year, Nigeria has about N10 trillion in its Contributory Pension Fund.

“This is long-term money, contributed by young people that have 20 to 30 years to retire; so, the money will be there.

“ It is growing every month by between 100 and 200 billion; so, today, we are speaking of N10 trillion; in about a year, we will be speaking of N11 to N12 trillion; this is the beauty of pension funds,’’ he said.(NAN)

January 24, 2020
Nigeria needs extended investment to lift 100m people out of poverty — Economist

A Chief Economist at the PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd. (PwC), Andrew Nevin says Nigeria needs more investment to grow its economy at a higher rate, to be able to lift 100 million people out of poverty.

Nevin made this known during the UK-Africa Pre-Summit Media briefing held at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s Residence, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The UK Africa investment summit, is scheduled to take place on Jan. 20, in London, UK.

There will be representations from 21 African countries at the summit.

Nevin said that Nigeria was only growing at about two per cent and if the country continues that way, there would be more people in poverty.

“To grow economically, we need investment. We need investment, roughly double what is on ground in the country today.

“We need summits like this to connect with people that want to invest in Nigeria, and the UK and Nigeria have such long standing and close ties.’’

Also speaking, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Harriet Thompson, said the upcoming UK-Nigeria summit would afford Nigeria the chance to show the scale and breadth of commercial opportunities that it had to around 300 UK businesses.

She said that the summit would highlight sectors including Agriculture, Manufacturing, Infrastructure, among others.

Thompson said: “It is a great opportunity for Nigeria to make its pitch to around 300 UK businesses including some top companies at the very highest level.

“This is Nigeria’s chance to show the scale and breadth of commercial opportunities that are here to show their commitment to diversifying the economy away from oil and gas.

“So, we will be highlighting sectors like agriculture, manufacturing and the infrastructure sector.

“This is about Nigeria telling the world and the British companies that it is open for business,” she said.

The deputy high commissioner said that the UK would follow conversations from the summit that would create jobs and bring Nigeria’s economy forward.

She said that the global market for foreign direct investment was highly competitive and Nigeria was not where it should be.

“We hope that at the summit, Nigeria will begin to change the perceptions to tell people that Nigeria is about more than oil and gas; it is about tech and about agriculture.

“ It’s about services, manufacturing, all of these areas where the UK has got impressive private sector expertise to bring,” she said.

Also, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Mrs Yewande Sadiku said the summit would give Nigeria the opportunity to showcase its companies and its investment prospects.

“It will also showcase what government is doing about addressing the challenges facing investors in the context of investment landscape.

“This summit is an important milestone.

“It is not the only event in the relationship, but it’s a big signature event that will help to bring the world’s attention, in particular the UK’s attention, to the investment opportunities in Africa,” she said.

The Head of Office, DFID, Christopher Pycroft, said Nigeria was critically important to the UK Africa investment summit as Africa’s largest economy.

“The UK has got really longstanding relationships with Nigeria and other companies have been here operating and trading in Nigeria for a long time.

“The Nigerian delegation will be led by President Muhammadu Buhari, who is taking some of his senior ministers along.

“ There will be government to government engagement. And there is also going to be really strong representation from Nigerian companies who are already operating here.

“Investors from the UK think that Nigeria is a difficult economy to operate in and that is why we want to demonstrate that there are already UK companies who are investing here, creating jobs and making money.

“ We want to use their expertise to be able to draw in other UK investors, private sector operators into this space and to demonstrate that Nigeria is open for business and that the economy is growing,” he said.(NAN)

January 14, 2020
Abike Dabiri says stronger Nigeria/Indian Diaspora partnership capable of transforming world

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has said that stronger partnership between intelligent Nigerians and Indians in Diaspora is capable of transforming the world.

Dabiri-Erewa made this known in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2020 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Indians in Diaspora day) and World Hindi Day.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is commemorated on Jan. 9 to mark the return on Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa and recognizing Indians in Diaspora.

Dabiri-Erewa said that those in Diaspora represented persons undergoing human capital development especially the combination of Nigerians and Indians in Diaspora who are known to make up the most intelligent migrants in countries of residence.

According to her, Nigerian doctors are known to be among the best in their countries of residence and Indians in Diaspora have also contributed to industrial development in their countries of residence.

She explained that if Nigerian medical doctors abroad could impart their knowledge and expertise back in the country, it would go a long way toward reducing the rate of medical tourism,

Dabiri-Erewa commended India for its laudable achievements recorded in overseeing the affairs of its citizens living in various countries and the contributions they were making toward the further development of the countries of their residence.

The NIDCOM boss said that Nigeria also had a lot to learn from India in terms of how it had successfully handled the affairs of its nationals in Diaspora.

“There is a lot to learn from what you have done with your diaspora. When I became chairman of NIDCOM, the first high commission I decided to visit was the Indian High commission to learn from India.

“What I have learnt from India has helped us in the task of setting up of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission and we will continue to come to you to learn more from you.

“The Indian Diaspora is a bridge to the world. We also have a Nigerian Diaspora that is also a bridge to the world but we know that we have a lot to do.

“Imagine those two teams of Diaspora coming together, the Indian Diaspora, the Nigerian Diaspora, I believe they can change the world.

“So that partnership I hope we continue to build with you, work with you as we continue to engage on the issue of our Diaspora human capital development.

“In terms of Medical Tourism, we have almost 5,000 doctor in America alone and if our doctors in Diaspora alone do what the Indian diasporas have done in India we would change the history of medical tourism in Nigeria.

“Talking about remittances, we also have a Nigerian Diaspora contributing last year about 25 million dollars to the Nigerian economy.

“And we also want to put in place a lot of incentives to make the Nigerian Diaspora do as much as the Indian Diaspora has done,” Dabiri-Erewa said.

Also speaking, Mr Abhay Thakur, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria said that the Indian government attached so much importance to, and recognised the contributions of Indians living abroad.

Thakur said that Indian had the largest Diaspora in the world at almost 31 million with more than 50,000 living in Nigeria.

According to him, it is a thing of great pride that many multinational operations are headed by young Indians which includes Sundar Pichai of Google, Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Ajay Banga of Mastercard, Geeta Gopinath of IMF among others.

Thakur added that to ensure sustained and substantive engagement with the Indian Diaspora, PBD Conventions had been held regularly in India since 2003 during which outstanding Indians were recognised.

The high commissioner said that India’s Prime Minister Shri Modi Ji’s administration had reinvigorated the Government of India’s commitments with Indians living abroad through several programmes.

Thakur explained that the programmes were to enable Indians in Diaspora to enjoy every benefit as citizens still living in India such as the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC), the Know India Programme (KIP).

“We have an Indian Community Welfare Fund for carrying out welfare activities for distressed overseas Indians.

“In 2019, the High Commission together with efforts of the Ministry of Shipping, India and the Nigerian Authorities have secured the release of over five Indian nationals kidnapped from the ship in April and Dec. 2019.

“The Indian Diaspora in Nigeria has been active with the presence of over 135 Indian owned companies which are said to be the second largest employer of labor after the Federal Government of Nigeria itself,” Thahur said. (NAN)

January 10, 2020