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Nigeria: Yar'Adua Blames Brain Drain On Past Govts
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This Day (Lagos)
21 March 2008
Posted to the web 21 March 2008
Onwuka Nzeshi
Abuja
President Umar Yar'Adua yesterday blamed the flight of Nigerian academics abroad in search of greener pastures on the inability of past administrations to invest adequately in the education sector to support teaching and research in Nigerian universities. He said this neglect has resulted in the current poor standard of education in the country.
Yar' Adua who spoke at the inauguration of the International Scientific Committee at the National Mathematical Centre (NMC) Abuja, said the present government was poised to change the situation otherwise the brain drain syndrome will continue to deprive the country of quality academics, researchers and the intelligensia needed for national development.
President Yar Adua, represented by the Minister of Education, Dr. Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu, said the Federal Government having recognized the importance of a vibrant education sector to national development, will invest in the sector most especially in the areas of science and technology.
"We are all witnesses to the brain drain syndrome that has taken away and still continues to take away a significant number of our intellectual capital. For instance today many of our children who left the shores of this continent for greener pasture in developed countries are already making waves in their chosen fields.
"The reasons for their departure from this continent cannot be distanced from the failure of successive governments to invest adequately in academic and research efforts. This is no longer so. We hope that collaborations like this one will continue to be pursued amongst members of this Committee, so that Nigerians in the Diaspora will see need to return home to render their services for the socio-economic development of Nigeria and better life for our children, and our children's children," Yar' Adua said.
A country that neglects science education, Yar Adua said, does so at its own risk, adding that with Nigeria 's external debt reduced drastically, the present government will strive to upgrade the various Centres of Academic Excellence in the country to enhance the production of highly skilled professionals in science and technology.
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Director General, National Mathematical Centre, Professor. Sam Ale disclosed that the committee would help the Centre to develop into a world-class training and research institution for the African region and assist in driving the country's vision of becoming one of the largest twenty economies by the year 2020.
The most important cause of brain drain in Nigeria is the serious lack of personal safety and security at all times days and nights and everywhere at home or on the streets in the country. The brain drain of academicians is nowhere as high as that of other professionals like doctors, engineers accountants etc. Every profesional will be happy to contribute to the progress of his country but, in the long run, for any reasonable person, living and working in a safe and secure environment far outweighs the pride to contribute especially realizing that in an unsafe and insecure... [Read Full Text]
I am grateful to Nigeria for the Support it gave to me througout my life. I was trained as police Cadet Officer and later as an Airplane pilot. I am aware that I served the Nigerian Govt briefly before coming on Awol to the United States of America where I work presently as a math Professor. But,I cannot love Nigeria enough to turn a blind eye to the problems that pervade the country. First, Our politicians(majority) are now shameless and compete with armed robbers in stealing money, next, our thieves are very violent and... [Read Full Text]
The President's observation on the brain drain issue is absolutely true. Having identified the problem, the fundamental question is: what is his administration going to do to address the issue? Just talking about what has gone wrong, is not enough solution.
Just to give the administration a head-start: the most important concern to Nigerian professionals abroad, in deciding whether to come back to Nigeria to contribute to national development, is public safety. What is the Yar'Adua administration going to do to improve public safety -on Nigerian highways (Nigerian roads have unacceptably high rates of accidents, fatalities, injuries and property damage),... [Read Full Text]
The President's observation on the brain drain issue is absolutely true. Having identified the problem, the fundamental question is: what is his administration going to do to address the issue? Just talking about what has gone wrong, is not enough solution.
Just to give the administration a head-start: the most important concern to Nigerian professionals abroad, in deciding whether to come back to Nigeria to contribute to national development, is public safety. What is the Yar'Adua administration going to do to improve public safety -on Nigerian highways (Nigerian roads have unacceptably high rates of accidents, fatalities, injuries and property damage),... [Read Full Text]
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