TheCable

Ben Okoyen, the consul-general of Nigeria in New York, says lack of reliable database is one of the factors delaying the implementation of diaspora voting.

Okoyen made the remark when members of Legacy Initiative International Advocacy US chapter visited Nigeria House in New York.

He said their is a need for Nigerians overseas to be united so as to produce a reliable database.

The Nigerian envoy explained that the Nigerian Diaspora Commission was already in place, adding that getting the accurate database of Nigerians abroad was still a challenge.

“It is not as if it (diaspora voting) is something that cannot happen now, it is important how we organise ourselves,” he said.

“This pronouncement has been made, the commission is in place, but how Nigerians organise themselves is important.

“For example, if you ask people to come and register, they would not come. For us to even have the proper database of Nigerians living in the US or elsewhere is difficult. So it has to do with us.

“As you are coming now, if you tell us this is the population of Nigerians, we will be very happy to forward this information back home.

“That is an area that we need to do some extra job. Every organisation should work toward registering Nigerians and see how to get a database that federal government can also rely on.”

He commended Nigerian organisations in the diaspora for their efforts to promote the good image of the country and their contributions to their homeland and host countries.

Okoyen pledged to partner with the organisation to enable the consulate to better serve Nigerians.