The Senate has advocated an independent budgetary provision for Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, by separating its budget from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Victor Umeh, made the request on Monday in Abuja while presenting the budget defence report to the Appropriation Committee.
He said the call became necessary following the importance of NIDCOM to the activities of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) should have an independent budget from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since it is a commission established by act of the National Assembly.
“There are other agencies who do not do as much as NIDCOM but have independent budgetary provisions,” Senator Umeh said.
He explained that Nigerians abroad were contributing to the nation’s development maximally, stressing that 24 billion dollars was remitted to Nigeria in 2022 by the diaspora.