President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians abroad to remain wherever they are as the country battles the challenge of unemployment.
Buhari said this at a meeting with members of the Nigerian community in Benin Republic on Saturday evening.
Reacting to a question on what his administration was doing to facilitate their return home, Buhari told them to stay put because he would not want them to add to the problem of unemployment.
He said: “I believe a lot of you are doing well and are better of here. So, the question of facilitating you to come home does not arise.
“We don’t want you to come back home and be unemployed. Don’t come and add to our problems.
“If you have something doing here please, continue doing it.”
Buhari also confirmed reports that his administration plans to reduce the number of federal ministries.
The recommendation was part of the report by his Transition committee, led by Ahmed Joda.
Responding to a request for the creation of two more Nigerian consulates in Benin Republic, Buhari advised the ambassador “to make the request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that by the time we are doing the next budget, it would be included.
“Although we are trying to cut down on the number of ministries, the morale of Nigerians in the Diaspora must be considered. This is because we are so many.
“We are aggressive whether in business or other facets of life. So, we, as a government, will do everything possible to look after Nigerians wherever they are”.
Buhari further appealed to the citizens to remain law-abiding in their host country.
He lamented situations in South Africa where Nigerians had been caught in activities that were damaging to the image of their fatherland.
“I have always told the Nigerian communities to respect their hosts’ culture and obey their laws.
“Some of them are in prison for committing a number of crimes. But for you who are so close home, you should do your best to be good ambassadors of the country”, Buhari said.
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