Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama has admonished Nigerians residing in Zimbabwe to be industrious and to respect laws of their host country.

Onyeama gave the advice on Tuesday at a Town Hall meeting and Dinner with Nigerians living in Zimbabwe.

The minister led the Federal Government delegation to deliver relief materials to Zimbabwe which was recently hit by tropical disaster, cyclone Idai.

He also urged Nigerians in Zimbabwe to shun any behaviour capable of portraying Nigeria in bad light in the country, adding that they have a lot to do to redeem the image of the country due to actions of few bad Nigerians.

The minister said the President Muhammadu Buhari led government was determined to fully engage and integrate Nigerians in diaspora to enable them partake in the political and economic development of the country.

“The Diaspora Commission had just been created in order for government to invest and fully engage Nigerians in diaspora.”

Onyeama assured Nigerians in Zimbabwe of the determination of Buhari administration to address infrastructure and power deficit in the country.

He said over the past 27 years no investment was made there in the power sector but Buhari was trying to invest heavily in it now.

He also said that Buhari was working assiduously to tackle security challenges facing the country, adding that addressing insecurity is a primary concern of the president.

Earlier, the Nigerian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Janet Bessong, said the visit of the minister would boost the relationship between Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

She said Nigeria had a very vibrant community in Zimbabwe. “Nigerians living here mind their business and are contributing to the economic development of the country”.

She said that when the recent tropical disaster happened, Nigerians in Zimbabwe contributed money and donated relief items to the government of the country.

Rev. Chris Oparaocha, an indigene of Imo State, who had been residing in Zimbabwe for 17 years, advised Buhari to redouble effort to address socio-economic and security challenges in Nigeria. (NAN)