LAw for Nigerian experts to return Home underway
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LAw for Nigerian experts to return Home underway
http://odili.net/news/source/2004/apr/27/5.html
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has hinted of an ongoing effort by his administration to secure the services of more Nigerian experts overseas to jump-start the development of the nation.
The President said his government was working on a bill to achieve this objective. When the bill becomes law, it will enable Nigerians abroad to return to the country and improve the economy with their wealth of experience.
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her Foreign Affairs counterpart, Oluwole Adeniji are Nigerian experts overseas who recently returned home to serve in the Federal Government.
Obasanjo, who was in France with other Africa leaders on a summit, hinted of the planned bill to Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Paris.
The President explained that when the law come into force, the Federal Government would be able to invite NIDO members on "sabbatical" to the country.
Obasanjo noted that Nigerians abroad had a lot to contribute because of their exposure. He added that the Federal Government had requested and got the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) to set up a global trust fund to pay the experts, pointing out that Finance Minister Ngozi Iweala first came to the country on her own before she was invited to serve.
He said that so far, four others, in addition to the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance, were drawing salaries from the fund.
Obasanjo and eight other African leaders utilising River Niger's Water resources yesterday opened the eighth summit in Paris under the auspices of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA).
The summit, being attended by leaders from Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Chad, Guinea, Cote D' Ivoire, and Mali, is reviewing the progress made so far in the sustainable development of the river's resources, so as to make projections for the future.
The NBA, an offshoot of River Niger Commission, was established in 1964 to, among other things, harmonise and coordinate national policies for the development of the Niger River Basin's resources.
The seventh summit was held in Abuja in February 2002, during which leaders agreed on a "shared vision and the production of a sustainable development action programme for the Niger River Basin."
The current NDA Chairman and President of Niger Republic, Mr Tandja Mamadou, at the opening of the meeting stated that member states must work hard in a concerted effort to ensure that the river remained useful to them.
He noted that the river, the third biggest in Africa and spreading over 4,200 km, directly affected the lives of about 100 million people living within its basin.
However, Mamadou said development such as silting of the river bed, colonisation by floating plants, destruction of aquatic habitats, water and wind erosion, discharge of its waters and pollution, had remained serious problems that needed to be jointly tackled.
Officials of the World Bank, the UNDP and the European Union (EU), which have been major donors to the authority, are also attending the two-day summit being sponsored by the French government.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo is expected to arrive in Pretoria today for the inauguration of President Thabo Mbeki as South Africa's third democratically elected president.
Obasanjo will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Oluwole Adeniji and President of Sao Tome and Precipe.
The President, who is attending Mbeki's inauguration and South Africa's celebration of 10 years of freedom as a special guest of honour, will also grace the 80th birthday of former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda tomorrow in Johannesburg.
While in South Africa, Obasanjo is also expected to meet a select group of Nigerians resident in the country and use the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with many heads of state attending the inauguration ceremony.
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i admire OBJ's attempt to attracted skilled Nigerians abroad...but i feel thatthis is being done at the expense of the home based ones who are ready and willing to make an impact...and i dont agree that the nigerian professionals abraod should be pain in dollars...they should look for another incentive besides this...we should be trying to increase the demand for Naira, and not be encouraging a drop in niara demand...
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has hinted of an ongoing effort by his administration to secure the services of more Nigerian experts overseas to jump-start the development of the nation.
The President said his government was working on a bill to achieve this objective. When the bill becomes law, it will enable Nigerians abroad to return to the country and improve the economy with their wealth of experience.
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her Foreign Affairs counterpart, Oluwole Adeniji are Nigerian experts overseas who recently returned home to serve in the Federal Government.
Obasanjo, who was in France with other Africa leaders on a summit, hinted of the planned bill to Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Paris.
The President explained that when the law come into force, the Federal Government would be able to invite NIDO members on "sabbatical" to the country.
Obasanjo noted that Nigerians abroad had a lot to contribute because of their exposure. He added that the Federal Government had requested and got the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) to set up a global trust fund to pay the experts, pointing out that Finance Minister Ngozi Iweala first came to the country on her own before she was invited to serve.
He said that so far, four others, in addition to the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance, were drawing salaries from the fund.
Obasanjo and eight other African leaders utilising River Niger's Water resources yesterday opened the eighth summit in Paris under the auspices of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA).
The summit, being attended by leaders from Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Chad, Guinea, Cote D' Ivoire, and Mali, is reviewing the progress made so far in the sustainable development of the river's resources, so as to make projections for the future.
The NBA, an offshoot of River Niger Commission, was established in 1964 to, among other things, harmonise and coordinate national policies for the development of the Niger River Basin's resources.
The seventh summit was held in Abuja in February 2002, during which leaders agreed on a "shared vision and the production of a sustainable development action programme for the Niger River Basin."
The current NDA Chairman and President of Niger Republic, Mr Tandja Mamadou, at the opening of the meeting stated that member states must work hard in a concerted effort to ensure that the river remained useful to them.
He noted that the river, the third biggest in Africa and spreading over 4,200 km, directly affected the lives of about 100 million people living within its basin.
However, Mamadou said development such as silting of the river bed, colonisation by floating plants, destruction of aquatic habitats, water and wind erosion, discharge of its waters and pollution, had remained serious problems that needed to be jointly tackled.
Officials of the World Bank, the UNDP and the European Union (EU), which have been major donors to the authority, are also attending the two-day summit being sponsored by the French government.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo is expected to arrive in Pretoria today for the inauguration of President Thabo Mbeki as South Africa's third democratically elected president.
Obasanjo will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Oluwole Adeniji and President of Sao Tome and Precipe.
The President, who is attending Mbeki's inauguration and South Africa's celebration of 10 years of freedom as a special guest of honour, will also grace the 80th birthday of former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda tomorrow in Johannesburg.
While in South Africa, Obasanjo is also expected to meet a select group of Nigerians resident in the country and use the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with many heads of state attending the inauguration ceremony.
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i admire OBJ's attempt to attracted skilled Nigerians abroad...but i feel thatthis is being done at the expense of the home based ones who are ready and willing to make an impact...and i dont agree that the nigerian professionals abraod should be pain in dollars...they should look for another incentive besides this...we should be trying to increase the demand for Naira, and not be encouraging a drop in niara demand...
Climb the ladder to succes, escalator style
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