Global Professionals Set Agenda for Presidential Candidates

The Forum of Global Nigerian Professionals (FGNP) yesterday noted that the most critical issues that affect majority of Nigerian voters are still begging for serious, practical attention.

FGNP, an assembly of accomplished professionals in the Diaspora, listed the issues to include high poverty level, poor electricity supply, food insecurity, the exchange rate of the Naira and security among others that required a detailed plan of action on how they will be tackled come May 29.

The conveners of the Forum include Sir Dan Amechi, Dr. Victor Oluwi, Chief Stanley Wokocha, Mr. Dauda Yusuf, Olanrewaju Adebayo, Dr. Sanni Mahmud, Mr. Yemi John and Mr. Chuks Nwanosike.  

In a statement it issued yesterday, the forum claimed that the challenges confronting the average Nigerian today, required more attention than the parties and their candidates are giving.

The statement added that the plans and programmes of the presidential flag bearers in detailed practical action plans would make all the difference.

 According to the forum, it is true we have seen their manifestos, which in truth has told Nigerians their policy outlook, but Nigerians want to interrogate them more on how they will deliver on these promises, given among others our dwindling revenue, massive debts among other challenges.

Against this background, the forum advised the media, security agencies and the INEC to act professionally and impartially in dealing with all that has to do with the elections.

 “With a specific purpose to mobilise Nigerian professionals and leaders to support national growth, Nigeria at this time, needs her exceptionally good and talented ‘world beaters’ to help scale our developmental programmes internally and externally.

“This is a great opportunity to help reshape our African and global story and build our current programmes as a nation,” the forum said in a statement its conveners released to the public yesterday.

The statement said the forum, currently with strong presence in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Germany, France, Nigeria, China and South Africa among others, planned to tell the story of Nigeria’s loaded capacity.

In these countries, the forum explained that Nigerians “are known to be at the heart of the economies, helping to make them the most advanced in the world. FGNP wants to fully harness, finally, for the benefit of Nigerians anywhere in the world.”

The statement also emphasised its drive to boost Nigeria’s diaspora remittances, which it said, had recorded significant growth in the recent years based on data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The statement observed that Nigeria’s diaspora remittances in the first quarter of 2022 rose by 20.3 per cent year- on-year to $ 5.6 billion from $4.29 billion in the corresponding period of the first quarter of 2021.

It said: “The remittance inflows were even projected to grow by 7.1 per cent by the end of last year. The current population of Nigeria is 219,011,841 as at Tuesday, January 10, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

“This shows that Nigeria remains the go-to-, for global investors who value investible environments with one of the best source of cheap labour and good return on investments.”