The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, have reassured Nigerians in Angola of the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling insecurity and strengthening the nation’s economy.
The trio gave the assurance during an engagement with members of the Nigerian community in Luanda, Angola, on the sidelines of the 21st Extra-ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
The Nigerian delegation to the AU summit was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Musa, while addressing the Nigerian community, acknowledged the security challenges facing the country, noting that some were linked to instability in the Sahel region, with their effects spilling across national borders.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was taking comprehensive measures to strengthen the nation’s borders and prevent security threats and incursions.
The Defence Minister said the Tinubu administration remained committed to defeating security threats across the country, adding that efforts were ongoing to increase the manpower, equipment and operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
On the economy, Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians in Angola that the country was making progress, declaring: “Nigeria is growing, the economy is growing and Nigeria is on the path of full recovery.”
The Minister also responded to a request by the Nigerian community for the establishment of a Nigerian passport production centre in Angola.
He promised to look into the request, which is aimed at easing access to passport booklets and consular services for Nigerians resident in the country.
Dabiri-Erewa, who coordinated the engagement, commended Nigerians in Angola for their contributions to Nigeria’s development and their efforts in projecting a positive image of the country abroad.
She assured them that the Federal Government valued the contributions, concerns and welfare of Nigerians in the Diaspora, stressing that their voices remained important in shaping policies and interventions affecting them.
The NiDCOM boss urged Nigerians in Angola to remain united, law-abiding and committed to contributing positively to the development of both Nigeria and their host country.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian community, the Secretary of the Nigeria Community Association in Angola, Nnaemeka Francis Obi, commended the Federal Government for the engagement and highlighted some of the challenges confronting Nigerians in Angola.
Obi specifically appealed for the establishment of a Nigerian passport office in Angola, noting that access to passport and consular services remained a major concern for members of the community.
He also raised concerns over healthcare challenges faced by Nigerians living in Angola and called for the establishment of direct flights between Nigeria and Angola by a Nigerian airline.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the Federal Government delegation to hear directly from Nigerians in Angola and reaffirm its commitment to deepening Diaspora engagement and addressing issues affecting the welfare of Nigerians abroad.
NiDCOM reiterated that the Federal Government, through relevant agencies, would continue to strengthen its engagement with Nigerians across the globe and work towards providing responsive solutions to issues affecting their welfare and interests.
