Reps rejects motion to prevent Nigerians from leaving the country, "Japa"

 By: News Peddlers 

Tajudeen Abbas 

A motion to declare a national emergency regarding the "japa" syndrome—the emigration of young Nigeria going abroed was rejected by the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The motion was adopted during the plenary session, by Rep. Philip Agbese (APC-Benue) who lived in the UK. Before moving to Nigeria to run for office,  

Mr. Agbese, who was introducing the motion, stated that statistics from the Nigerian Economic Summit showed a rise in the number of young Nigerians moving abroad.

According to recent reports by the African Polling Institute, 69% of young people would choose to move if given the chance.

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), there has been a 40% increase in the number of young Nigerians leaving the country since 2019.

According to the UN DESA, 1.7 million people left Nigeria for other countries in 2020, a significant increase from 990,000 in 2010.

He claimed that the rising numbers of young Nigerians emigrating to the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada in order to establish permanent residence foretells grave danger for the nation from an economic, intellectual, and social perspective.

The motion was unanimously knocked out when it was put to a vote by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House.

(NAN)