The recently passed Abia State Diaspora Bill was Friday last week signed into law by the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu thereby making Abia the first State to domesticate the Diaspora Commission law.
In this report, NATIONAL SUNRISE highlights some of gains inherent in having the Diaspora Commission law in the State and its attendant benefits to both the State and citizens living in the Diaspora.
The harmonious relationship between the government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Abia indigenes in the Diaspora was cemented more concretely with the signing of the Abia State Diaspora Bill into law by the Governor, himself.
The Governor's assent, which gave the bill the required legal backing to become law placed Abia in the map as the first State in Nigeria to domesticate the Diaspora Commission which is a federal legislation in the State.
The signing, held at Government House, Umuahia, provided Governor Ikpeazu avenue to shower encomiums on the State House of Assembly for responding to the yearnings of the Abia Community in the Diaspora through the crafting of a bill.
According to the Governor, the Diaspora law would provide legal backing for the participation of Abia indigenes in the diaspora in the governance of their State, Abia as he had promised to create a platform for Abians from all walks of life to participate in the governance process.
He observed that Abia is endowed with men and women with great capabilities scattered across the world and as such there was need to leverage on the abundant human capacity that abound in the State and abroad to develop the State.
The Governor recalled that people in the Diaspora have made direct returns and remittances which account for major foreign inflow into the country, including making impressive contributions in the area of farming, health, education and industry in Abia State.
He highlighted some of the interventions anchored by Abians in the Diaspora to include the Geriatric Care, Training and Retraining of Teachers, Medical Outreaches as well as support for the building of a Specialist Pediatric Hospital in Abia State.
The Governor also used the time to announce his Special Adviser on Diaspora Matters, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, as Executive Secretary of the Diaspora Commission on the acting capacity as well as implored those in the Diaspora to continue to look homeward.
The sponsor of the Bill and Member representing Arochukwu Constituency in the the State House of Assembly, Hon. Mike Ukoha while describing the signing as a revolution and a platform that will bring about socioeconomic development to the State, commended Governor Ikpeazu for signing the bill into law.
Speaking also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora Matters, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Erondu-Ogbonna observed that Abia has become the first State to have the Diaspora Commission.
She maintained that that with the Governor's assent, the Diaspora bill, which is a Federal legislation has been domesticated in the State and thanked the Governor accepting the noble idea.
It is note worthy therefore, that Ikpeazu has demonstrated his commitment to the overall interest of all Abians whether at home and in the Diaspora. He will equally go down in the annals as the first Governor to do so for his State.
Equally of note is the fact that a platform has been created for citizens of Abia origin who live anywhere in the world to stand on in moving Abia State forward through investing in business opportunities in the State.
They should no longer exercise any trepidation in their dealings with the State as there existence a legally backed Commission designated for all their needs.
It is now a clarion call for all of them to harken to the call of Governor Okezie lkpeazu himself to begin to 'look homeward' just as the saying goes, "there's no place like home."
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