Victor EzejaLabour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi in Charlotte, on August 31, 2022, highlighted the role that Nigerians in diaspora can play in rescuing the country through critical investments in vital sectors of the economy.
The LP presidential candidate in the coming Nigeria’s 2023 general elections has been on a diaspora engagement to speak on the dire need for good governance in the country and the indispensable role that the citizens abroad can play in the process. This initiative has seen him touring different cities in different countries from Germany, Canada to the United States of America where he has met with a good of Nigerians residing there who extended invitation to him to come for a robust interaction on what can be done beyond 2023 to transform the country for good and what role they need to play in the process.
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Speaking on the topic “Role of an Active Diaspora in Nigeria’s Economic Development,”Obi told the Nigerians who gathered at Little Rock AME Zion Church, in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, that they have the capacity to pool resources together to invest in the country and make it work again.
“You are the main and number foreign investor that the country requires. No foreigner will come and invest in Nigeria unless you come and invest. And you are investing to save yourself.
“So you owe a duty to help in fixing the country. If you fix there (Nigeria) and make it productive, you become richer.”
Speaking on diaspora remittances which saw Nigeria recording about $20 billion in 2021, taking sixth position and coming behind top five countries in the world, Obi said his quest is to increase it to about $50 billion.
” I want it to be $50 billion. We’ll do like other countries where we educate our people and have a ministry that ensure how they leave the country in an organised manner and they remit more, because we have the population, we have everything; a country with vast uncultivated land and people are begging for food.”
Reflecting on the journey of the nation since independence, the LP presidential candidate said the country has great potentials in different fronts but the problem has been leadership failure, which accounts for poor economic activities, insecurity, poor education and healthcare and systems, among others.
He noted that the socio-economic challenges in the country have been largely responsible for the mass emigration of Nigerians into foreign countries in search of a better life.
“All you are seeing in Nigeria today is a cumulative effect of leadership failure over the years.”
“Some of you are here in America by choice; but majority are not here by choice. Circumstances at home have compelled your sojourn here. But I also know this much: If your hearts were not in Nigeria, you won’t be here this evening,” Obi stated.
He said insecurity has ravaged the country to the point that bandits now kidnap people and keep them in the bush for months while government agents negotiate with them for release of the victims but can’t resolve the lingering ASUU strike that has crippled educational activities in Nigeria’s public universities for more than six months now.
“In our country, the government negotiate with terrorists and pay them anything demanded in multiples, but have never agreed to pay university lecturers the content of one agreement, not even in batches,” Obi stated.
He remarked that “In any country where politicians are the richest class of people, the place has always shown example of failure,” adding that he quest is not about entitlement but to set out and tackle the Nigeria’s problem and therefore, called on all including those in the diaspora with vital skills and experience and have also tasted good governance to come forward and key into to the collective goal of transforming the country.
The former Anambra State governor told the people that his vision and mission is to create an enabling environment for robust investment to revive moribund productive sectors for the economy to grow.
He cited countries like India, China and some other Asian Tigers today who were behind Nigeria some decades ago, noting that the current situation of the country was due to lack of selfless and visionary leaders ready to make conscious efforts to see the country grow from where it is to where it ought to be as giant of Africa.
Speaking on how he intends to tackle the challenges he said, “We will pay particular attention to tackling Nigeria’s myriad domestic challenges, in particular, improving governance and promoting national cohesion in as much as an active foreign policy critically depends on a vibrant and peaceful domestic situation.
“We will aggressively pursue human capital development in the education and health sectors within available resources; with a view to adopting pertinent global best practices in both sectors.”
“In transforming the economy we intend to make it more productive, thus creating employment and prosperity for millions of youths, reducing poverty in the land, addressing issues of criminality and insecurity.”
He equally emphasised on the need to put in place measures to see boost power supply and other energy resources that drive socio-economic activities.
“We intend to lay special emphasis on critical infrastructure, especially Power, to ensure a clear measurable increase of 200% of today’s generation, transmission and distribution, within the shortest possible time through public private partnership.”
He said it is possible to stop corruption which has been the bane of Nigeria, but requires competent leaders with integrity who are ready to make sacrifices to curb it.
On peace and security in the country, and ensuring inclusiveness, Mr Obi said “We will seek to reunite Nigeria through strict adherence to Constitutional provisions on equitable representation in Federal establishments and regenerate a sense of belonging to all citizens through inclusivity and adequate representation of women, youths and people with disability in government.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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