The Nigerian Senate has expressed concerns over mass migration otherwise known as Japa by Nigerians to other countries to seek supposed greener pasture, and plans to daunt it is been strategized.
The Chairperson, Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, during a hearing at the National Assembly, disclosed that the committee will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to make Nigerians, particularly youth, to believe more in their country and not the mindset of wanting to rush out of the country.
“Patriotism is earned and not enforced or forced, making us identify a few steps that we can use in building our economy here using our Diaspora energy.”
“We’re going to look into countries like India, Pakistan, even Egypt; in Africa here on how they have grown their capacities and making their countries attractive for a larger percentage of the citizenry to stay.”
“The committee will start this process by getting the database of Nigerians in Diaspora country by country and also collaborate with various International organizations on areas of focus that can attract many of them back home.”
The former Chairman of the committee, Senator Victor Umeh, expressed hope in the ability of Senator Natasha to take the committee to greater heights in the area of tapping required resources from Nigerians in Diaspora and at the same time, make the country attractive to those at home through required collaborations.