THE lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa constituency in Oyo State at the Federal House of Representatives Shina Peller has said that youth engagement is key to the nation-building and called for improved economic diplomacy between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Peller said this on Tuesday when he visited the Nigerian pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai, where he met with the Nigerian Ambassador to the UAE Mohammed Dansanta Rimi, his wife, Aisha Rimi and other staff of the Embassy.

“Highlight of our meeting centred around better partnership and ease of doing business between Nigeria and the UAE with emphasis on young Nigerians as key players in nation-building.

“It is important that we work together in building platforms that can serve as a connecting bridge between Nigerians in diaspora and Nigerians at home for the purpose of strengthening the country’s human capital development,” the lawmaker disclosed

There has been a lingering diplomatic row between both countries resulting from disagreement over covid-19 testing that led to the suspension of passenger flights since March and work permits for Nigerians since July.

According to him, Nigerians in the diaspora have continued to display potentials capable of
repositioning Nigeria to be at par with the rest of the world, and these talents must be fully harnessed, as people and vision will always be the drivers of innovation.
Peller also stressed that stability and predictability guarantee investment and that these can only be achieved when there is peace.

“Our socio-political environment and its instability is our biggest threat, and to address this, the youth must be used as the driver and sustainer of peace. We need to start exploring the potential of the Nigerians people with a population of about 240 million and the youth occupying about 75 per cent of it.

“We have no bigger constituency in Nigeria and perhaps Africa than the youth. It is time to service this constituency,” he said.

Last Tuesday, Peller was presented an honorary Doctorate degree in Business Administration by the American Heritage Southern California University in Dubai, during the Africa-Dubai Investment Business Summit held at Habtoor Palace.

Receiving the award, he expressed profound gratitude to the organizers of the event and the school for finding him worthy of the honour, adding that he considers the recognition a call to greater service not just in Nigeria but in the entire Africa space.