Date: 2021-11-23

Kwara State government has said that it will tap into opportunities offered by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to improve service delivery and the quality of life of its people.

Speaking with Tribune Online in Ilorin, on Monday, the Focal Person on Diaspora Matters to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Dr. (Mrs) Lola Sawyerr, said that dialogue had been held with various heads of ministries, departments and agencies in order to see how the Diaspora Office can partner with them in several areas.

The Focal Person, who said that her office serves as a bridge between the Kwara Diaspora community and the state government, added that her office has held several town hall meetings with Kwarans in Diaspora on issues ranging from awareness on government initiatives such as the social investment programme known as NG-CARES and the current state of security in the state.

"At the town hall meetings, government officials were invited to discuss vital issues that are germane to the development of the state. The effort is shrinking the communication gap between the Diaspora family and the state government by bringing the government closer to the people," she said.

Sawyerr said that her visit to the state was coming after attending the fourth annual Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit organized by the Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative (NDSI) in collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), themed, "Diaspora Partnerships and Linkages for Post-COVID Economic Growth."

She said that the summit gave her a first-hand experience and opportunity to better understand the potential values that Kwara state can unlock through the facilitation of foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to help with job creation and employment opportunities for Kwarans, and potential knowledge transfer opportunities available.

"The purpose of the summit is to establish a platform where diaspora investors can interact with potential sponsors, partners, business promoters and the government.

"It was an avenue where potential investors (foreign) met with various private sector operators in the areas of agribusiness, creative, sports and entertainment, education, health care, ICT/Fintech, infrastructure, real estate, manufacturing, oil & gas and telecoms, among others.

"The diaspora community is especially grateful that the governor continues to empower and put focus on the usually neglected in our democracy such as women, youths, indigents aged folks, and physically challenged members of the society through targeted programmes that have resulted in less demands from home to the diaspora community. The diaspora community is grateful to the people for the first agenda of the Kwara state government.

"Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq made the diaspora community a priority by appointing the first-ever in Kwara state the Focal Person on Diaspora Matters. This is in line with his promise to the Diaspora Community in his engagement with them prior to his inauguration into office. The diaspora community continue to rate the performance of the governor high in areas of delivery of service and improving the quality of life of Kwarans. Encomium continues to pour in from all corners of the globe as the Diaspora community generally sees a man of vision and conviction dedicated to laying a solid foundation upon which to rebuild Kwara state and taking steps to fundamentally strengthen the various institutions in the state.