Jonathan: Nigerians in Diaspora remitted $21bn in my last year as president
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed that Nigerians in the diaspora remitted $21 billion to the country in his last year as president.
According to the former president, apart from oil, diaspora Nigerians are the single largest source of capital in-flow into the country.
He said this weekend in his goodwill message to the Nigerian Community in the Bay Area of California who he said, had gathered at Open Heavens Community Church to celebrate with him as he was honoured by the cities of Antioch and Lathrop.
Jonathan stated in the message he posted on his Facebook wall that but for the circumstances beyond his control, he would have attended the programme.
“Elsewhere, I have mentioned that aside from oil, diaspora Nigerians are the single largest source of capital in-flow into Nigeria. In my last year as President you remitted $21 billion home; much more than the World Bank, IMF and foreign direct investment.
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“My people, you are an asset to your father land. Because of the importance with which I held you, my administration facilitated direct flights to Nigeria from the US to Nigeria. We ensured no less than three airlines fly direct between Nigeria and the US including one from Houston to Lagos for the benefit of those of you from the West Coast.
“We also ensured that Enugu airport was upgraded to an international airport and I recall that a number of diaspora Nigerians from the US boarded the inaugural Ethiopian airlines flight that landed there in August of 2013.”
He added: “I have always been proud of Nigerians in the diaspora and more so of Nigerians in the US and even more so of the Nigerian diaspora in California. Some of you may recall that upon my ascension to the office of President on May 6th, 2010, one of my first acts was to open up a Facebook page to personally interact with Nigerians.
“In June 2010, a diaspora Nigerian from the Bay Area of California informed me on my Facebook page of an abandoned building belonging to Nigeria in San Francisco and I dispatched our then ambassador to that city to claim the property and renovate it.
“Hopefully, the building may again host a consulate as it once did in the 80s. The point I am trying to make is that I have been communicating with you and I see you as an asset to Nigeria that makes me proud.”
