By Mazi Godson Azu

President, Abia Indigenes In Diaspora Association UK &Ire.

The establishment of the Abia Diaspora Commission, an initiative that was started by Mrs Vivian Iroha, when she was the SA Diaspora to Governor Ikpeazu, in 2018, thus withheld for sometime, as she was eventually replaced in that office by Dr. Ngozi Erondu, the new SA Diaspora, followed up with the pursuit to get the Diaspora Bill pass through the state house of assembly, with the support of a member of the state house of assembly, and key contributions from  key stakeholders in the diaspora, the success of the Abia Diaspora Commission is as a result of a collective effort of all Abian Diaspora stakeholders, from the US, UK, South Africa, Ghana and Europe.

As such no single individual should take the glory, because the commission is to serve the interests of the diaspora community and not for an individual grandstanding. In as much as most of us, who knew the historic trend , we wish to acknowledge and appreciate the commitment of the former members of the state house of Assembly, who took time to structure the diaspora bill for presentation to the floor of the House, for its various readings, debates and passage, the Hon. Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly for the passage of the Abia State Diaspora Bill which was finally passed in 2019/20 legislative year, and then signed into law by the Governor, in early 2021, who eventually appointed or reversed the position of Dr. Ngozi Erondu from SA. Diaspora, to Acting Executive Secretary of the newly established Abia Diaspora Commission, though the full Board of the Commission has never been constituted as provided by law of the Act that established it, for the past three years, which is highly unfortunate and unacceptable., a commission that requires full representation of all the stakeholders and oversight ministry..

The very purpose of this laudable agency, which is supposed to be apolitical and aboveboard, is to foster collaborations and engagement between the Abia State government and Abia citizens living abroad, the commission is to act as a bridge and or a link, providing support and resources through the diaspora communities, such as assistance with investments and business ventures, cultural/educational exchange programs, and access to government services, for easy of doing business in the state, and charitable works. Many of this issues have not been engaged effectively in the past two years or so by the commission and it’s leadership.

Thus, for some group of people, the establishment of a diaspora commission has had a positive impact on the relationship between the state and its diaspora community, depending on which side of the divide one is observing issues from , such as the few loyalist and political disciples of the Acting Secretary, who is from America, and few Ndi Ngwa click in America who sees nothing wrong with imposition and disregards to the rule of engagement and common sense practices in governance.

The Abia Diaspora Commission was established by the Abia State Government in collaboration with its diaspora community to facilitate and enhance the participation and cooperation of Abians living outside the country in the strategic development of its economic and social sectors, through the state economic development plans.

The commission was created with the aim of promoting the collective and inclusion of Abia indigenes in the diaspora, through harnessing their intellectual and economic resources, which are in huge abundance across many countries in the world, for the development of the state.

Since its establishment, though the Commission states that it has made some impacts in the state, this I believe are indirect selective impacts in some corners of the state.

Key Concerned Areas:

1. Improved Communication and Engagement: The leadership of the commission in order to maintain communication and engagement between Abians living in the diaspora and the government of Abia State, created various WhatsApp groups which were highly selective, politically induced, and managed under a divide and rule system, It has created a platform for Abians to interact with the state government and express their views on issues affecting the state. Unfortunately this platform turned out to provide the misgivings of the commission, as a political re-engineering, as it was used to promote the political agenda of the governor, rather than the good governance of the state, proactive engagements, sharing and discussing issues of collective interest, pointing challenges and suggesting positive solutions.

2.  Charitable Donations:

The Commission tends to assure the general public that it has facilitated increased charitable donations in the state by Abians living in the diaspora, through the diaspora Home coming initiatives and programs, although the commission has not in any form or shape encouraged a realistic or meaningful, Abians in diaspora to invest economically in their home state, thereby boosting the state’s economy, the mentioned Abia Diaspora Home Coming initiative first event held in Aba in 2021 was not utilised effectively for the right purpose, by considering the city of Aba as the biggest industrial hub in East of the Niger, and the commercial capital of the state, it still remains a regional nightmare and a pathetic underdeveloped city with no good road network, infrastructure and enabling investment environment, Aba of glorious years , in last 20 years has remained a self help project with every government administration playing politics and delusions with one of West Coast  of Africa big market losing its potentials and market value.

3. Skills and Knowledge Transfer:

The leadership of the Commission claims that she has tried to facilitated the transfer of skills and knowledge from Abians in the diaspora to those in the state, these efforts so far has not successfully bridged the skills gap nor improved the entrepreneurship and innovation capacity in the state, as the average opportunities are being politicalised for certain individuals and micro-ethnic advantages, driven by sentiment rather than for the collective good of Abians at home.

4. Improved Healthcare:

Though the Commission could boost of partnering with Abians in the diaspora to improve healthcare in the state, through the various yearly initiatives of medical missions, medical equipment donations, and training support, have been driven by individual initiatives. There is need for a well coordinated and collective effort of a structured network for all concerned professional bodies or stakeholders to deliver the best effective form of services with a people driven orientation

5. Diaspora Land Acquisition: The Commission Acting Secretary, Dr. Ngozi Erondu used her position, and close relationship with the Governor, to disrupt and high jacked the land allocation and acquisition by the state government, to Abia state indigenes in diaspora association uk, a hard fought initiative, that began in 2015, and had cost the UK members about 10M Naria in monitory payments to the state governments accounts, as requested for the release of our land CofO, her intrusion led to all kinds of delayed actions and time wasting, by colliding with certain individuals in the US, Europe, South Africa and Ghana to initiate a new land scheme called Abia Diaspora Land Committee, that was selective and disruptive in composition, which was used to decisive the Governor, thus colliding once again with some government officials by going ahead to acquire lands from communities in some parts of Ngwa /Asa areas of Abia state in the name of Abia diaspora, and influenced the Governor to sign off CofO on the Lands, without any form of payments to the state government, and without many  stakeholders of Abia diaspora communities in full aware and or were well carried along with the process, as at this write up the details of the allocated Diaspora Land has not been made public, it’s location, the conditions of allocation and request for interest from all Abians in the diaspora worldwide in the past two years now the question is what is happening with the land acquisition and the CofO released , Who actually owns the lands. What is happening with the initial land allocation to ABSIDA UK , the payment into Abia state government account for acquisition process. We demand a full open and transparent investigation of this Diaspora Land Matter by the new administration of His Excellency Dr. Alex. Otti. OFR.

Finally the most important concern for many of us in the diaspora community here in the UK and Worldwide, with regards to the Abia Diaspora Commission, is for the present government to carry out a full detailed review of the Act that established the commission, in view of its fundamental responsibilities, functionality, procedures and to constituted the full management board , and not a one-person politically motivated and appointed stooge running the commission as a crone of the Governor and its elements. We require a new approach to how the commission is structured and managed for a stronger, favourable and sustainable engagement between the state and the diaspora community apolitical.

For a reasonable good majority of Abians in the Diaspora, this is our constituency, and as such the administration of the commission most be aboveboard, open, fair, just and accountable. On this basis we humbly urge that our new Governor of Abia State, (Gods Own State), the peoples Governor, most make out time to engage with the diaspora community stakeholders, irrespective of their tribe or political orientation, Abia is for all, and every Abian in the diaspora is an equal stakeholder and benefactor of an Abia development plan. A plan of we’re very much ready and willing to be fully involved in its actualisation for the greater good, of the greater number of Ndi Abia home and abroad.