How can Africa woo back its professionals?

BAK · 2009-02-24T16:34:50+00:00

How can Africa woo back its professionals? BBC News On line Kenyan minister Kilemi Mwiria says African governments have done little to attract their best talents back home. In a newspaper article, the assistant minister for higher education argues that more incentives need to be offered to potential returnees, be they doctors, engineers, teachers, electricians, plumbers or carpenters. But are African professionals abroad really willing to return to the continent? Is your government doing enough to bring back talent? If you work outside Africa what will persuade you to go home? Can the continent afford the demands of the brightest and best? Send us your views. If you would like to join Africa Have Your Say to debate this topic LIVE on air on Tuesday 24 February at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published. You can also send an SMS text message to +44 77 86 20 20 08. Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 13:21 GMT 13:21 UK The New Administration here created the Diaspora Office at State house to woe those Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora to come and contribute in nation building but i must honestly state that the result is not encouraging. Over 70% of Sierra Leoneaneans i have spoken to told me that there is no way they could leave thier jobs there to setttle back home because the environment is not conducive for them. Murtala, Freetown,Sierra Leone Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 13:12 GMT 13:12 UK There are 100s of gay professionals from Sierra Leone living in other parts of the world. We have decided not to go to Sierra Leone until people realise we are also part of the society. We have been marginalised for a long time. I remember teaching in a University in Freetown and because I am gay, I was never promoted despite my qualifications and teaching experience. I don't mind doing odd jobs in the West as long as they are gay friendly. Madonna Kaitibie-Deen, Loughborough, UK Recommended by 2 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 13:02 GMT 13:02 UK You must be jocking! Go back home? Where is home? I have received more support and help from western countries than my own one. In fact I was told by an officer at my embassy that as long as they had "the power" we would have to dance as they want. The resident permit fee you pay in western countries is often the same to bribe in order to get your passport extended by your embassy. So why have it?! I will always go back and visit but for now and for time to come home is here. Terre des hommes, Earth Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 12:18 GMT 12:18 UK For starters, the NHS could stop stealing doctors and nurses from Africa! When Blair came to power in 1997, he said it took 5 years to train a nurse so we had to recruit foreign nurses. Simon Ward, Watford, United Kingdom For starters, African leaders should quit looting their treasuries (and stashing their loot in foreign banks) and start paying doctors and nurses (and in fact all workers) living not starvation wages. That simple! Ekene, Nigeria Recommended by 2 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 12:17 GMT 12:17 UK BBE or Black Economic Empowerment or AA Affirmative Action, a white man in his 30's is racially discriminated against from the start.15 years on in a free South Africa and racism is alive and well, just in reverse. The government is so unstable it recently split into two groups the ANC and COPE.Why would professionals want to go home to NO NHS, NO Stability, NO job Security, massive crime and even lower wages.South Africa NEEDS to keep its professionals but why would professionals want stay???? DP, London Recommended by 2 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 12:14 GMT 12:14 UK I planned marrying a Nigerian as bridge to enable me return to Nigeria,after hearing all what I must do to marry in Nigeria,I am decidng to go back to my divorced German wife to remarry her.Going back to Nigeria is suicidal in all aspects. However, I know that I can grow even in bottle if planted in one,moreover, when I came to Germany,no one waited me at the airport with flowers.With a good home work, I will land in Nigeria safely just as allied forces landed in Normandy in 2nd world war Sunny Ekwenugo, Berlin Recommended by 0 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 12:14 GMT 12:14 UK Well lets see .... how about introducing true democracy? Stamping out all public corruption? Respecting the 'rule of law' and not the rule of the gun? Getting all the looted African money, sitting in ex dicators western bank accounts & returning it to Africa? Introducing full free education? Starting Manufacturing & not living off mineral extraction? Finally get western countries to insist that Africans go home after further education to benefit Africa. A Kelly, United Kingdom Recommended by 4 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 12:11 GMT 12:11 UK I'm an investment banker in Malawi and given that I can earn 5 times my annual pay by cleaning toilets in the UK I fail to see how Africa can lure back talent. This continent is a joke. Allan Banda, Blantyre, Malawi Recommended by 2 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 12:05 GMT 12:05 UK It very sad that we are what we are today because of our leaders who see nothing wrong in corruption, injustice, embezzlement all in the name of democracy while we all need good education, good health facilities, above all employment after our education. When African governments will see a need of all these without influence of the west then all our professionals will come back. We flee not our father lands, we flee our bad governments. Arnaud Ntirenganya Emmanuel, Vancouver, Canada Recommended by 2 people Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:40 GMT 11:40 UK Now is the time for Africans to invest at home. It's much less a time for job seekers to return to Africa in search of work. For those who have capital, now is the time to invest for returns on investment in Africa will provide higher returns than in those in developing countries. It's a high-risk high-gain approach. There has never been a better time for those willing to bring their skills and capital back home to develop their countries. Grant, Johannesburg Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:37 GMT 11:37 UK Many African professionals in tthe US and Europe will love to work at the least pay and comfort back home if the governments in place gave them reasons through good governace and transparent democracy to hope that with their own efforts, tomorrow can be better. Only someone who has lost his conscience and senses will love to sacrifice under and for a bad government. Put the right governments in place for them and all will return home soon. Just try.That is all. Tadze MBIYDZELA, Douala, Cameroon Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:35 GMT 11:35 UK In Sierra Leone, our President in his innaugural speech pleaded with all Sierra Leonean in the diaspora to come home and contribute to the development of the Country. However, I think much more needs to be done that just a mere call. First, the enabling environment needs to be created to attract our brothers home - they need to be assured that when they return home, a platform should be created for them to put their skills into use. Joseph P. Abu, Freetown, Sierra Leone Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:35 GMT 11:35 UK If Africa created a United States of Africa. What would it bring? Access to work, health services, Education, concur illiteracy. An organised army and police force, powers to curtail war mongering.These all are good things that this unity could bring. Africa needs to develop equality for ethnicities within Africa. South Africa has tried to a certain extent, but what is defeating this vision is access to Education. If richer African nations could pool resources together, give it a go. N G, London Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:32 GMT 11:32 UK It'll take a lot more than this to 'woo back' professionals to Africa. It's a lame-duck through and through, with vicious dictatorships and inter-tribal feuding, not to mention having to rely on foreign support to deal with virulent disease (including HIV/aids). South Africa itself is a mess, not least through its poor leadership recently which has helped to keep the African Hitler, Mugabe, in power. And those of us who are older remember Idi Amin, & the treatment of Asians in Kenya & Uganda. Les, Handsworth Recommended by 1 person Sign in to recommend comments Alert a Moderator Added: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:30 GMT 11:30 UK I think human migration and spirit of adventure is part human civillazation. Throughout history there is always migration of peoples. Like in USA,Canada,Australia,Newzealand to mention few. All these country inhabitan are all from different country. Take look in our continent we have some Arab that migrated from Arab world to part of Africa like In Libya,Sudan,Morokko,Egypt. Why this people all refused to return to their homeland.Many African that left for thousand of years,is part of human ola aluko, Hillsborough, United States Click here to access more on this discussion: BBC NEWS | Have Your Say | How can Africa woo back its professionals?

Thread starter BAK
Start date Feb 24, 2009

BAK

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How can Africa woo back its professionals?

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