There is a glint of hope for Nigerians living in the Diaspora, but are not yet permitted to have dual citizenship by their host country, as the Federal Government has recently decide to issue them permanent resident certificates.
The government also said it was considering the agitations by Nigerians in the Diaspora to participate in electoral process in the country, but did not indicate if the gesture would commence in 2019.
These were highlights of the resolutions reached by participants at the just-concluded annual Diaspora conference with the theme: “Harnessing the potentials of the diaspora for national development.”
The conference drew participants from about 250 Nigerians living in Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and North America.
Participants, according to the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, took cognizance of the decision of the Federal Government to issue permanent resident certificates to Nigerians in the Diaspora, who are not permitted to have dual citizenship by their host nations.
The communique said the $21bn remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora had a huge impact on the economy in 2015.
Source: PUNCH.
