Kulman Ghising: Nepali Migrants Deserve Red Carpet Welcome at the Airport

Lisbon, Portugal - Former Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising, who is currently on a European tour, said that Nepali migrant workers should be welcomed with a red carpet at the airport when they return home. Speaking at a felicitation program organized in his honor by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Portugal, Ghising emphasized that Nepal’s economy has been running primarily on remittances sent by migrant workers, but those very people are often mistreated at the airport.

Ghising highlighted that Nepalis working in the Gulf, the U.S., the U.K., and Europe send more than one trillion rupees back to Nepal every month, yet they have not received the respect they deserve. He stressed that for Nepal to achieve rapid economic transformation and to encourage migrants to return home, there must be significant reforms in policy and leadership.

Sharing his experience in the energy sector, Ghising said that even after reducing electricity tariffs by 25 percent, the NEA has been making an annual profit of 12 to 15 billion rupees. He added that Nepal has already begun exporting electricity to India and Bangladesh, with 7,000 MW of projects under construction. According to him, if Nepal can generate 50,000 MW of power, the country could earn 3 to 4 trillion rupees annually, which could be invested in education, health, and infrastructure.

He also called for immediate implementation of the constitutional provision allowing Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) to vote from abroad and urged the government to enact laws to make NRN citizenship effective. He said NRNs must be provided with a conducive environment to invest in Nepal.

Ghising further urged all stakeholders to support the “Ujyalo Nepal Campaign,” which aims to bring progress not just in the energy sector but across all areas of development. He also pledged to dedicate the rest of his life to the prosperity and transformation of the country.

At the event, Ghising was honored with a certificate of appreciation. The program was chaired by NEFIN Portugal President Chop Kumar Magar, with Senior Vice President Sonam Yonjan Lama, Arjun Ghimire, and Som Furi Sherpa delivering remarks. The program, conducted by General Secretary Prem Limbu, also featured a Sherpa cultural dance
performance.