Barely 24 hours after the redeployment of Senator Victor Umeh as the Senate Committee Chairman on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, a man renowned for not seeing anything good in Nigeria and Nigerians, has taken to town again in his usual stock in trade of running down achievers and compatriots as if he has no other job, which, in fairness, he does not. So, maybe he has created an oversight function for himself to keep him busy, albeit a very mischievous one. This time around, he took on Senator Umeh, who has achieved greatness during his short tenure on his last committee assignment as well as representing his people well.
It is obvious from his write up that he did not get the attention of Senator Umeh who refused to be dragged into petty, tribal politics.
It is worthy of note that most of the allegations leveled against him on the issue of diaspora voting are not correct. His view is that a lot needs to be put in place before subjecting the Diaspora to vote to avoid breach in any form whatsoever. To me, this is not a bad opinion, an opinion echoed by many. As a Senator, he has his fundamental human rights to air his own opinion on any matter.
Similarly, regarding the conducive Investment Climate Policies, it is not the responsibility of the Senator to create that for the Diasporas beyond his legislative duties which he has performed creditably well. It is the duty of the Executive arm through its Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Such responsibilities are being handled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, as well as Nigerians in Diaspora Commission. The Commission every November holds the annual Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit, a platform where business owners and prospective investors meet and interact for possible investment opportunities.
Senator Umeh attended the past two events since inauguration of his Committee and had the opportunity to interact with the Diasporas in attendance. The Diaspora in the last five years have been investing massively in healthcare, good business, education, ICT, agriculture. And a lot more is on the way, with the Minister of Trade promising soon to be rolled out targeted incentives.
I am equally aware that NiDCOM in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria has the Diaspora Mortgage Housing Scheme Project, a project designed for the Diaspora to own their own properties in any part of the country without losing funds. Senator Umeh’s legislative backing has been crucial.
In a nutshell, it will be unfair for Gbandi and his cohorts to rubbish the achievements of the Distinguished Senator on the altar of opposition. Umeh has on many occasions identified with the Diaspora Communities and has been so acknowledged. Encomiums still continue to pour in on his most recent robust engagements in Canada and South Africa, and his demand for intervention in cases of Nigerians in foreign prisons.
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On the issue of board for the Diaspora Commission, this is at the behest of Mr. President and has nothing to do with the Senator though the whole world knows that Gbandi is desperately lobbying for it since the establishment of NiDCOM so as to turn it to be another sit-tight NIDO Europe, where Gbandi refused to vacate the seat even after the expiration of his tenure. Thanks to Gbandhi and his handful of cohorts, NIDOe is now torn apart. And with the Steve Oronsaye report, which recommends NiDCOM to be an agency rather than a Commission, the status of the board is unclear.
Let me use this opportunity to advise the newly appointed Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to be wary of slippery critics like Gbandi and concentrate on her legislative duties geared towards achieving excellence for her Kogi State constituencies as well as Nigerians in the Diaspora. Gbandi’s criticism, in less than 24 hours of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s appointment, is just an attempt to lick her boots. She should consult widely and intelligently so that she will not fall prey to the likes of Gbandhi.
We wish Senator Umeh well in his new chairmanship position, but one thing is certain: The Diaspora community would miss his wealth of knowledge, words of encouragement and wisdom.
. Ekong writes from Warri, Delta State.
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