WE MUST END JAPA SYNDROME - Senate
Anthony Ekpo Bassey
THE Nigerian Senate has declared that it will move to end the mass exodus of Nigerians to overseas countries, popularly known as 'japa syndrome' in pursuit of greener pastures.
Speaking at the maiden meeting of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) at Abuja yesterday, the Chairperson and Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, pledged the committee's readiness to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the pursuit of inculcating the spirit of patriotism in the citizens especially, the youths, and shall identify a few steps that will help in building and making the country's economy better and productive.
"Patriotism is earned and not forced, we shall identify a few steps that we can use in building our economy here using our diaspora energy. We are going to look into countries like India, Pakistan, even Egypt in Africa, on how they have grown their capacities and making their countries attractive for a large percentage of the citizenry to stay. "
She went on to disclose that: "The committee will start this process by getting the database of Nigerians in diaspora country by country and also collaborate with various international organizations on areas of focus that can attract many of them back home. India is a very good example of reversing the Japa syndrome by being the ICT capacity hub of the world with attendant jobs for its citizens." Akpoti-Uduaghan, said.
