Leadership and Entrepreneurship Advocacy (LEAD) urges FG to engage youths in Diaspora on national values.

The Leadership and Entrepreneurship Advocacy (LEAD) Network has urged Federal Government to engage youths in Diaspora on the need to reflect the nation’s values in their actions.

Mr Chukwuma Okenwa who is the Executive Director of LEAD Network gave the advice while speaking with the Newsmen on Thursday in Enugu.

Okenwa was speaking on the sidelines of the recent sanction against six Nigerian youths’ involvement in a six million dollars fraud by U.S Department of the Treasury Office.

According to him, with periodic reports of some Nigerians involvement in fraudulent schemes and drug peddling, it establishes their ignorance on the repercussion of their action on other Nigerians.

He said: “Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs should prioritise Diaspora Engagement through our High Commissions and Ambassadors to help mitigate against the surge in international crimes which is a reproach to the nation’s diplomatic relations.

“There should be a deliberate attempt to make Nigerian citizens abroad to feel connected to home; and as such desist from whatever activity that will ridicule Nigeria in that country.

“However, it is unfortunate that some Nigerian youths abroad today see themselves as hustlers and they owe no one any explanation for their actions and in-actions.

“With this lack of responsibility to anyone and their negative attitude, they also jeopardise the chances of million other Nigerians who needs that positive perception to even do good businesses abroad.’’

Okenwa, who agreed that no country is free from citizens’ involvement in crime, however, said that the country’s case is embarrassing because we are periodically in the news for defrauding other nationals.

He said: “A KYC (Know Your Citizen) approach and community building style associated with servant leadership could help to make a difference. A bottom-to-top-approach will make a difference to foster positive values and orientation on our youths in Diaspora’’.

 

NAN