Bola Babarinde, a former chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in South Africa, has urged the Nigerian government and other African countries to leverage U.S. President Donald Trump’s perceived harsh policies to accelerate development in the continental.

Mr Babarinde said in a statement on Sunday that the planned deportation of Africans, especially Nigerians living in the U.S. illegally, should be seen as an opportunity for the country to reassess its approach to diaspora engagement.

According to him, it is also an avenue to encourage those returning to contribute to the country’s development.

“There is no doubt that the U.S. government had been providing aid to African countries, but it was with strings attached.

“However, for Nigeria to turn the harsh American government policies into blessings, the government should embrace diaspora engagement.

“Government, through the diaspora commission, should develop programmes to support returning citizens, while the deportees should be provided with resources and opportunities to integrate into the economy.

“The deportees can also contribute to national development. The government should also engage medical research institutions by encouraging the development of indigenous treatments and drugs. This will reduce reliance on foreign medications and promote self-sufficiency,” he said.

Mr Babarinde also said the federal government should focus on developing internal sectors, such as automobiles, and encourage local manufacturing and vehicles assembly.

According to him, the government should invest in agricultural research, infrastructure and technology to boost productivity and food security.

“Investment in quality education, infrastructure, information communication technology and homegrown governance should be looked into.

“By focusing on these areas, Nigeria can transform the challenges posed by Trump’s policies into opportunities for growth, development and self-sufficiency,” he said.

(NAN)