Reverse brain drain to develop Africa, NGO urges
NAN-H-37
Development
By Ebere Agozie
Abuja, Oct. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Peoples Movement for a New Nigeria (PMNN), an NGO, on Tuesday said reversing the brain drain in Africa was the surest way to ensure the continent’s development.
The PMNN President, Alhaji Yahaya Ndu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that Africa’s brain drain dilemma had become more worrisome.
NAN reports that PMNN is involved in the promotion of African development and unity.
“Africa’s brain drain dilemma is becoming ever more worrisome as the continent is getting poorer while its experts and intellectuals are drifting out to swell its populations in the Diaspora.
“With responsible leadership in Africa, we can create conditions that will nurture and equitably share wealth in a way that can retain our professionals.
“The top brains, skilled nurses, medical doctors, technologists, engineers and other professionals that are lured away by the glitter of the developed economies.
“Our academic and research institutions as well as health facilities and the material conditions of intellectual workers must be improved, otherwise we will remain mere buyers and consumers of knowledge,’’ Ndu said.
According to him, Africa has paid an extraordinary price for her lack of domestic technological knowledge.
The PMNN president said the lack of technological knowledge made Nigeria export crude petrol, only to import refined petroleum.
He added that it was this same lack that made the country export raw steel, only to import cars that were essentially steel products.
“Knowledge is the engine that drives economic growth, and Africa cannot eliminate poverty without first nurturing and retaining its intellectual capital.
“Reversing the brain drain will increase Africa’s intellectual capital as well its wealth,’’ Ndu said.
He lamented that, 56 years after independence, Nigeria had yet to gain technological independence, adding that this is why affluent Africans flew abroad for medical treatment.
The NGO chief noted that African medical schools were in fact serving America and the rest of the world as a production line for such professionals.
He said this could be deduced from the significant percentage of African doctors and nurses who practice in the Diaspora.
“A recent World Bank survey shows that African universities are exporting a large percentage of their graduating manpower to the United States.
“In a given year, it is estimated that 70,000 skilled Africans migrate to Europe and the United States.
“While these 70,000 skilled Africans flee the continent in search of employment and decent wages, 100,000 skilled expatriates who are paid wages higher than the prevailing rate in Europe are hired to replace them.’’
Ndu said that the more important issue was to reduce poverty by creating wealth, not by these intellectuals sending money home.
“Real wealth cannot be measured by money; money cannot teach your children but teachers can, money cannot bring electricity but engineers can, money cannot cure sick people but doctors can,’’ he stressed. (NAN)
EPA/COF/MST
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Muhammad Suleiman Tola