Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central senatorial district, has advocated for an independent budgetary provision for the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, saying the agency plays a role in the economic viability of the nation.
Umeh, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, stated this after he presented the committee’s report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations at the National Assembly.
The lawmaker said the Diaspora Commission has come a long way, given its contribution to nation-building; hence, the commission should have an independent budget away from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, some agencies haven’t been doing the much that NiDCOM has been doing but they enjoy an independent budget, stressing that independent budgetary provision would enhance the agency’s productivity.
Umeh said NiDCOM remitted the sum of $24 billion into the government’s coffers in 2022, a development that, he insisted, should attract government attention.
He decried the inadequate budgetary allocation to NiDCOM in the 2024 Appropriation, noting that it cannot discharge its statutory responsibility maximally.
According to him, there is a need to provide funds to organise the Diaspora Investment Summit in Canada, America, the United Kingdom, and other parts of the world to bring Nigerians together to partner with federal and state governments for investments.
He said: “Nigerians, who generate money from the diaspora, have various needs and challenges that require NiDCOM attention and supervision, saying that the commission was not adequately funded to discharge the duties.
“This one is critical, the Diaspora Investment Summit; that one has economic value; you cannot quantify the amount of money they remit to Nigeria—$24 billion in 2022 alone.”
He said the committee approved the insertion of five new line items amounting to N1 billion from the proposed N2.5 billion for approval by the Appropriations Committee.
Meanwhile, various committees have been submitting their reports since Monday to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan.
