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Stop renouncing your citizenship – FG pleads with Nigerian youths

The Federal Government has appealed to young Nigerians to stop the trend of renouncing their citizenship in pursuit of greener pasture abroad.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola who made the appeal on Thursday, described it as worrisome and counterproductive.

He expressed concerns at the Ministerial Alignment Meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Deliverables for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of Government.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the Minister said the Federal government would put up a mechanism in place that would keep young Nigerians busy in productive activities.

He said a committee would be set up in the Ministry with stakeholders to oversee the operations and implementation of the deliverables.

The committee would be chaired by the Director, Planning Research and Statistics (PRS) in the Ministry, Mr. Kabiru Ayuba, with representatives of the four Services under the Ministry and other relevant officers.

Foreign residents make up more than 80% of the UAE’s population and have for decades been a mainstay of its economy.

The United Arab Emirates plans to offer citizenship to selected people, the first Gulf nation to do so in a major policy shift designed to give expatriates a bigger stake in the economy and foster growth, Bloomberg reports.

“We adopted law amendments that allow granting the UAE citizenship to investors, specialised talents and professionals including scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, authors and their families. The new directives aim to attract talents that contribute to our development journey,” Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a tweet.

“The UAE cabinet, local Emiri courts and executive councils will nominate those eligible for citizenship under clear criteria set for each category. The law allows receivers of the UAE passport to keep their existing citizenship.”

Foreign residents make up more than 80% of the UAE’s population and have for decades been a mainstay of its economy. The UAE comprises seven sheikhdoms, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Oil-rich Gulf states, which for decades jealously guarded privileges for the small number of citizens, have been forced to consider longer residency and limited citizenship for foreigners as they seek to attract investment and diversify from oil.

Last year, the UAE abolished the need for companies to have Emirati shareholders, in a major shake-up of foreign ownership laws to attract investment into an economy reeling from the coronavirus and a decline in oil prices.