As Abia State Engages its Diaspora Community

THE PUBLIC SPHERE with Chido Nwakanma

In a landmark legal and policy move, Abia State has become the first subnational to domesticate the federal legislation for the involvement of its citizens in the diaspora in state affairs. The Abia Citizens in Diaspora Commission became a parastatal by an Act of the State Assembly on 22 March 2021.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and the State House of Assembly’s Speaker have shone in the limelight deservedly, but two women with pluck deserve even more accolades for this happening.

The Abia Citizens in Diaspora Act and Commission reprises the Nigerians in Diaspora Act 2017 and the Commission over which Hon Abike Dabiri presides. It sets out to ensure the protection of Abians in the diaspora and project and facilitate their effective participation in the state’s economic, political, and social development. Its objectives include providing a direct link to the involvement of Abians in the diaspora in the state’s development, exploring the “huge reservoir of skills knowledge and experiences” of Abians abroad for state development and exploring the most attractive and cost-efficient means for capital inflow or remittances, investments, and transfer of technology among others by Abians outside the homeland.

The Abia Citizens in Diaspora Commission will have an Executive Chairman, a Director General, seven ministries’ representatives and Abians in Diaspora in America, Asia, and Europe. It did not mention Africa.

Then there would be persons from the Abia Investment Commission, Human Rights Commission, three serving or retired diplomat. A curiosity is that the Chairman would be Chief Executive Officer with accounting responsibility for the Commission yet serve on part-time basis in the draft bill this correspondent saw.
The Abia State journey to tapping into what PWC calls “strength from abroad: the economic power of Nigeria’s diaspora” began with the Okezie Ikpeazu leadership. He provided policy and strategic direction by appointing Mrs Vivian Iro-Uchime as S.S.A., Diaspora Matters in his first term. Mrs Iro-Uchime was an active player in the Nigerians in Diaspora movement from her base in the Netherlands.

Iro-Uchime, a lawyer, did the spadework. Governor Ikpeazu approved the proposal requesting the setting up of the Abia Citizens in Diaspora Commission. On 29 June 2018, Enyinnaya Okezie Esq, Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice commenced the legal process based on approval of a draft by the Governor. It then went through the bureaucratic labyrinth until March 2021.

In the period, Mrs Iro-Uchime moved to another assignment while Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu took over as Special Adviser on Diaspora Matters and Special Duties. Hon Onyekwere Mike Ukoha sponsored H.A.B 21 or The Abians in Diaspora Commission Bill, 2020.

Countries all over the world pay keen interest to their diaspora for economic concerns as well as the transfer of knowledge and skills. The PWC white paper reports that Nigeria accounts for over a third of migrant remittance flows to Sub-Saharan Africa. PwC estimated that these flows amounted to US$23.63 billion (2017: US$22 billion) in 2018 and represented 6.1% of Nigeria’s G.D.P.

“The 2018 migrant remittances translated to 83% of the Federal Government budget in 2018 and 11 times the FDI flows in the same period. Nigeria’s remittance inflows were also 7.4 times larger than the net official development assistance (foreign aid) received in 2017 of US$3.4 billion. PwC estimates that migrant remittances to Nigeria could grow to US$25.5bn in 2019, US$29.8bn in 2021 and US$34.8bn in 2023. Over 15-years, PwC expects total remittance flows to Nigeria to grow by almost double in size from US$18.37 billion in 2009 to US$34.89 billion in 2023.”

States and countries that harness this powerful economic force will derive many benefits. Kudos, therefore, to the Abia State Government team for thinking long-term on this tremendous source of soft power. Commendation to Mrs Vivian Iro-Uchime for bringing her passion, expertise and experience in diaspora matters to deliver on this assignment and her successor, Dr Ogbonna-Erondu, for taking it to the home stretch.

The politics of international flights from Akanu Ibiam Airport Enugu
Aviation authorities have engaged deliberate obfuscation on the resumption of international flights from Akanu Ibiam Airport Enugu. The airport is the only gateway from Eastern Nigeria with the approval to offer such flights. However, the belief in the streets and offices of Eastern Nigerian towns is that it seems some persons do not like it and seek to deny it that right.

Ethiopian Airlines is the only airline currently servicing the Enugu route for international flights. Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika assures that international flights to and from Enugu would resume on 3 May. As of Friday, 16 April 2021, there was no indication that this would happen.

Why? There is suspicion of a deliberate policy impediment from the Federal Government. Conspiracy theorists say Africa’s leading airline may cease servicing the Enugu route because of discriminatory taxes on that route by the aviation bodies.

The authoritative Enugu Metro.com reported that Ethiopian Airlines is yet to open its portal for flights out of Enugu or sell tickets. Travel agents await clarity from the aviation authorities.
Stakeholders of the South-East must wake up to this danger, whether it is a mere conspiracy theory or an actuality. Governors of the five states and various groups such as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nzuko Umunna, Aka Ikenga and others should get into the matter.

I have the testimony of entrepreneurs in Onitsha, including my cousin, about the benefits and reduced expenses of travelling from Enugu rather than coming to Lagos for trips to China and other destinations. The F.G. must eschew any actions that could raise suspicions about its intendments regarding Akanu Ibiam Airport after spending N10billion on fixing it. Clarity, please.