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Tag: Japa

  • ‘Japa’ fraud ‘scheme’

    ‘Japa’ fraud ‘scheme’

    Culprits and their collaborators deserve to be prosecuted: you either eat your cake or have it

    I have no qualms about people who feel the country is not conducive for them and decide to leave for greener pastures abroad. I am not one of those who would like to say things are easy when they are not. As Sonala Olumhense wrote sometime in 1983, ‘Things is hard’. ‘Things is really hard’!  So, I won’t advice Nigerians who have the opportunity of ‘checking out’ not to ‘check out’, after all, how many of our leaders have their own children at home?

    As one of the contestants for the students union presidency in one of our federal universities said during the campaign sometime in the 1980s, ‘what is good for the goose is good for the others’! Do not ask me who the candidate was and which university he attended. He knows himself. We, the then stakeholders too know him.

    But that is not where I am going today.

    So, because ‘what is good for the goose is good for the others’, I can never grudge anyone going out,  particularly the youths, if they feel that is where their salvation is.

    For me, however, let those who want to stay, stay; and those who cannot endure what is at home be free to vote with their feet or their visa.

    But I have everything against such people when, even as they are leaving us, they would not take their eyes off our common patrimony. Instead of leaving that for the rest of us who have chosen to stay where our heads put us. ‘Ibi ori da ni si laagbe’, they want to eat their cake and at the same time, have it.

    Otherwise, how can we explain it; that some people in the Federal Civil Service would still remain on the Federal Government’s payroll even though they have since left our shores for other countries? I take serious exception to that.

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    It is normal for living things to follow the food; that is flood towards wherever their bread can be buttered. Thus, we find some birds gravitating towards some parts of the world at certain times.

    It is against this background that one should condemn the Nigerians who were hitherto civil servants and are still collecting salaries after relocating abroad in search of a better life.

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that such former civil servants be made to refund the money and that their supervisors and department heads be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud.

    The president gave the directive on Saturday, last week, at the award night organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), to commemorate the 2024 Civil Service Week, and also to honour some outstanding civil servants in core ministries.

    President Tinubu, who was represented at the occasion by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, was visibly worried over the ghost workers’ attitude.

    “During my recent visit to South Africa, I kept abreast of the week’s activities.

    “I was particularly struck by the revelations shared by the Head of the Civil Service, regarding employees who had relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning”, he said.

    He added that “it is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.

    “The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected”, he said, adding, to boot, that “their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.”

    This is the way it should be. As a matter of fact, the issue is beyond punishing both the culprits and those who made it possible for such fraud to occur, using only the civil service rules and regulations. They must be prosecuted for fraud.

    Ghost workers’ syndrome is an age long syndrome in Nigeria. And it manifests in several ways. People apparently continue to engage in such fraudulent acts either because those caught are not punished or because the punishment is too light. Indeed, where ghost workers is the issue, Nigeria ought to be among countries that should make ‘Guinness World Records’, given the decades that successive governments at all levels have been uncovering the phenomenon and its various dimensions in the country.

    At a time even in cosmopolitan Lagos, precisely after the return to civil rule in 1999, ghost schools, with whole compliments of workers, from head to toe, were uncovered. That is part of the ‘cognate experience’ the country has in the ghost workers’ fraud. It was not just a question of ghosts collecting salaries in existing government establishments, it got to the point where even ghost schools were established and funded by the state government. Mercifully, the state government would seem to have overcome this, using technology.

    But if the Lagos case can be regarded as too old and from which Nigeria ought to have learned sufficient lesson, having occurred over 20 years ago, what of the Nasarawa State incident of 2022, whereby it was discovered, in what a report described as another sad chapter in the history of Nigeria, that the Federal Government uncovered 349 ghost schools? The discovery was reportedly made by the Enumeration Committee of the Federal Government Homegrown Feeding Programme for Public Primary Schools. As usual, two key officials of the programme in the state were promptly suspended and replaced. It is doubtful if anything happened to them beyond the suspension.

    Also, in as recently as 2016, a significant number of ghost schools were discovered in Kogi State. Similar cases had been reported in many other states, including Delta.

    In all of these cases, it should be expected that there would be school inspectors and supervisors who should be going round to see how schools are faring. So, what happened to all the layers of inspection and supervision?

    What happened to the relevant accounts departments in the ministries, departments and agencies of the governments where these salary frauds are perpetuated? What happened to their audit units?

    Obviously some unscrupulous civil servants are behind these frauds.

    Civil servants! Civil servants! They had killed some very best dreams of government because they are the ones that handle the implementation of those dreams. And they do so without qualms. Their propensity to ‘chop and clean mouth’ can hardly be matched by any other group of persons or workers. And they can never steal enough. They steal as if stealing is going out of fashion. So primitively. Before the ink on their last fraud dries up, they are already salivating in anticipation of the next.

    Indeed, it is incidents like this that make not a few Nigerians see the civil service across the country as dens of robbers. Does that ring a bell? Ask many Nigerians of their general opinion on the civil service and they will tell you they don’t know what many of them are doing beyond gossipping, merchandising during official hours and plotting to see loopholes in government programmes and policies from where they could siphon funds.

    As a matter of fact, a friend of mine usually refers to civil servants as ‘evil servants’. And, can you really blame him? Yes, we know that there are some decent people of integrity in governments across board. But, when you mix only one spoilt egg with a dozen good ones, the taste of that spoilt one would still be felt, perhaps more than the others.

    But it is sad that an incident like the ‘Japa ‘ salary fraud had to be unveiled at what should be a solemn ceremony in honour of civil servants who have put in years of meritorious service to their fatherland.

    Successive governments at the centre had carried out various reforms in the civil service. Even then, from the general look of things, many of the workers would seem untrainable. They are too steeped in their iniquities. But, as I said earlier, that is not to say that we do not have dedicated ones among them. It should therefore not be surprising that some of them are trying their best in the noble tradition of their calling. Such people deserve to be appreciated and amply rewarded.

    It is also good that the Tinubu administration has singled out some of such people for recognition. It should not be about sticks and sticks all the time. The government needs to dangle the carrots where and when necessary too.

    I am therefore happy to join the government in celebrating such Nigerians of honour who have decided to hold their heads in establishments where several others have lost theirs. Indeed, it is just that things are tough in the country; that is why many Nigerians are supporting Labour in the minimum wage struggle. As far as many of them are concerned, the issue should not be about pleasing an insignificant percentage of the populace whose productivity is even suspect, leaving the majority in limbo. But then, if minimum wage is an avenue to get at the government over the insensitivity of many public officials, particularly those in the National Assembly who are producing nothing and yet creaming off the public till, so be it. Otherwise, Labour’s voice on the issue would have been like that of John the Baptist in the wilderness. Many people would just be aloof and watching developments on the matter from a reasonable distance.

    I can feel you itching to say that those involved in the ‘Japa’ fraud ‘scheme’ and other acts of corruption by civil servants and other Nigerians, just regard their actions as their own way of getting their share of the national cake. What of those stealing the cake legally? I only hope you don’t have the National Assembly members in mind here? Well, to some extent, you are right. Indeed, if former President Olusegun Obasanjo could call the National Assembly what he called it a few years back, I wonder what he would call it today. Still, that should not be an excuse for ‘ordinary’ Nigerians to steal illegally. For, while it is the law that catches up with the poor thieves in Africa, it is karma itself that arrests the big ones. And it will strike when it will strike unless there is a change of attitude. What is on ground is simply not sustainable.

    But this is yet another opportunity to call on the government to make the country conducive. Nigerians only travelled abroad for studies and leisure in the past. Not to go and stay there permanently. Although this trend predates this government, it now has the responsibility of reversing it. It is still possible. It is doable.

  • JAPA: Absentee doctors, nurses, scientists in Delta govt payroll to refund salaries

    JAPA: Absentee doctors, nurses, scientists in Delta govt payroll to refund salaries

    The Delta state government has said over two hundred absentee doctors and nurses under its payroll will be asked to refund their salaries.

    The State Health Commissioner, Dr. Joseph Onojame, who spoke to reporters in Asaba, Delta state capital, said this was part of the Oborevwori administration’s efforts to sanitize the health sector in the state.

    Dr. Joseph Onojame said that over two hundred ghost workers were discovered in a recent audit of health institutions in the state, especially at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.

    According to him, the government had lost fifty percent of doctors and nurses employed in health care institutions who had gone abroad in the last few years.

    He said: “When we did  thorough investigation, we found out that a lot of them have left, so we had to remove them from payroll.”

    Dr. Onojame also observed that efforts have also been made to sanitize the Department of Nursing in the state, which has been plagued by allegations of examination malpractice, admission racketeering and corruption.

    “The illegal collection that was collected from students for building levy was refunded.

    “There is a lecturer who collected money for score; that lecturer will be severely dealt with.

    “Some of them (nurses)are used to ‘PAY FOR SCORE,’ now there is nothing like that, you must read to pass your exams.”

    Read Also: Oborevwori decries under development of South-South

    Reacting to the development, the State Chairman, National Association of Nurses and Midwives Comrade Philomena Onokpuvie, commended the government policies in the health sector.

    Onokpuvie described the situation in the health sector as a challenge that needed urgent attention, and one that requires the active collaboration between the government, health professionals and administrators.

  • ‘How Nigeria can address ‘Japa’ syndrome, other economic woes’

    ‘How Nigeria can address ‘Japa’ syndrome, other economic woes’

    Prof. Aremu Ayinla Olanrewaju is the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria (IMCON), an umbrella body for management consultants in the country. In this interview with Damola Kola-Dare, the technocrat provides useful insights on how to contain the “Japa” syndrome, unemployment, economic challenges, among others. Excerpts:

    How do management consultants carryout their crucial role of problem solving in both the public and private sectors of the economy?

    The first part of your question is about the methodology used by management consultants in assisting their clients find solutions to their problems either in the area of policy formulation, long range planning and converting the threats and challenges in the external environment of their clients into opportunities and prospects (T-Cop) with a view to enhancing their overall corporate performance.

    Let’s begin with private sector. Basically here the focus of the management consultant is to assist their client achieve two functionally related objectives namely cost minimisation and revenue maximisation with a view to increasing the bottom-line of the company i.e. more profit so that shareholders can have more dividends for their investments in the company.

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    In practical terms if a beer brewing company sold two million bottles of beer in year 2020 and the sales dropped to less than 1,000,000  bottles in year 2021, definitely the Board and Management of the company will be terribly worried as the shareholders at the next AGM will surely ask them for explanations as to the reasons for the sudden drop in their sales revenue. So a wise Board/Management will quickly put together a Team/Task Force of their sharp shooters (Internal Management Consultants) or invite reputable External Management Consulting firms such as KPMG, Philip Consulting, etc. to do an in-depth investigation into the factors, issues, both internal and  external, responsible for this declining fortunes of the company.

    The Management Consultant on entering the company, will operate as a “detective” whereby everybody in the company from the Board Room, Top and Middle level management to the shop floor are perceived as “suspects” in detecting the  causes of the decline in sales revenue. He does this by holding consultations with interviewing the aforementioned operatives. This is in addition to checking all available records. And of course, in recognition of the fact that all organisations exist in a dynamic equilibrium with their external environment, the management consultant goes a step further to interrogate the external partners of his clients namely: the suppliers of the company’s raw material, The transporters and most importantly, the consumers of the company’s product.

    The Management Consultant may even discreetly get some relevant information from the company’s competitors.

    At the end of it all the MC will objectively analyse all the facts collected with a view to putting forward a set of complete practical and implementable solutions, suggestions and recommendations packaged into a report which will be submitted to the client – the brewing company for their consideration and implementation. The submission of the report brings the consultancy assignment to a close. However, if the client so wishes, the Management Consultant could be invited to guide the client company in the implementation of certain aspects of the report.

    In the public service, the Procedure/Methodology of executing Management Consulting assignments is basically the same. One good example that could be of interest to the reading public – is a consultancy assignment carried out by public sector Management Consultants then located in the Federal Ministry of Establishments under the Obasanjo regime in 1978. At that time the Board and Management of the Nigeria Airways Ltd. had issues with its pilots who were demanding that they should be paid like their counterparts in other parts of the world especially Europe and USA. They even went on strike on a few occasions to press home their demand. What the Obasanjo government did, was to ask the management consultants in the management services department of the Federal Ministry of Establishment, to investigate the veracity, the reasonableness or otherwise of the demand of the pilots. 

    The Management Consultants, because there was no internet then to tap relevant information from, had to visit many countries in Europe – UK, Netherland, France, Germany, etc and the USA; they also visited other African countries such as Egypt, Kenya etc. to find out how their pilots were being remunerated vis-à-vis the rest of their economy. The management consultants, based on their findings, came to a firm conclusion that there was nothing like international comparison of wages, salaries for pilots. Each country, they found out, paid its pilots according to the country’s ability to pay and the social safety net provided in each country. Even the United Kingdom and France that jointly developed most sophisticated aircraft then, the Concord, paid different salaries to their pilots. With this report, the Obasanjo government was able to confront the Nigerian Airways Pilots that their demand to be paid like their counterparts in Europe or America was not justified and therefore would not be implemented here in Nigeria.

    This was how a Public Sector Management Consulting outfit brought industrial peace and harmony and by implication economic prosperity – to a long drawn labour dispute that had troubled the airline for so long.

    What I have said above about management consultants offering their professional services to the brewery industry and the defunct Nigerian Airways applies with equal validity to the other arms government – Transportation, Agriculture, Health, Education, Waste Disposal, Environment, Industry, Tourism etc. Once any arm of government perceives a problem, challenge it should immediately constitute, invite a team of Management Consultants – Internal or External – to critically examine the problem, with a view to asking them to proffer workable, practical, complete and implementable solution to the problem. By so doing, governments can readily nip in the bud many problems before they snow ball into intractable issues that could cost the coy more or in the case of government become a serious embarrassment.

    This is what obtains in many of the so called advanced or developed countries. They are always making use of independent management consultants to address issues and challenges confronting their society. By so doing, they incrementally make improvements in their systems and institutions. But ironically enough this culture of using independent minded professionals i.e. management consultants to solving societal problems is very much lacking in developing countries Nigeria inclusive.

    I therefore, through this medium call on the organised private sector and government at all levels in Nigeria, to imbibe the culture of using the professional services of the members of our Institute in finding solutions to myriads of socio-economies problems facing our dear country.

    Our youths too, especially the young graduates, rather relying only on their single subject professional callings – law, accountancy, economics, engineering, etc, to look for white collar jobs which are not there anyway, should be thinking of coming together in multi-disciplinary teams, consortium as management consultants and start to become problem solvers and solution providers to our national problems. This is what their counterparts in India do and they make a good living out of it. The IMCON is quite ready to show them the way through our Mandatory Capacity Building Programmes.

    As solution providers and change agents in what areas can your IMCON assist the government?

    With particular reference to the Tinubu administration one specific area where members of our Institute could assist is in strengthening and lengthening the agricultural value chain.

    According to UN Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO) Agriculture, despite its neglect over the years in Nigeria, remains an asset as it contributed 22.35 percent to our GDP in 2021. But this vital sector could do better and contribute more to our GDP if specific policy measures are put in place.  IMCON, over the years, has observed that our poultry farmers experience egg glut three times every year and they consequently suffer huge avoidable losses. I say avoidable losses because in other countries government assists such poultry farmers by buying off such surplus eggs during the glut period and also convert the surplus eggs into egg powder which is in turn consumed by confectionaries, bakers, etc. Can you imagine if Nigeria were to have just five such egg powder factories per state, how many jobs would be created to absorb a sizeable number of the 23.29 million Nigerians, who, according National Bureau of Statistics, are currently unemployed? What IMCON plans to do is to partner with the Tinubu administration and the relevant funding authorities in setting up such egg powder factories in every state in the country as soon as the government settles down for serious business of governance.

    Secondly, IMCON will also like to partner with the Tinubu administration in professionally addressing the long standing issue of youth frustration and anger in Nigeria which has led many of them to “Japa” in droves to other countries in search of greener pastures. Except one is very insensitive, youth anger is so thick in the air that one could literarily touch it. Our youths being internet savvy would have read it online that Mark Zuckerberg was only 19 when he started Facebook and that social network platform today is worth over $300 billion! When Bill Gates, once the richest man in the world, cofounded Microsoft he too was just 19 too. The two young men, who founded the search engine called Google, were just both 25! Our youths are no less brilliant than these Americans; the only difference is probably in the policy environment which encouraged them to bring out the best in them. So what IMCON, as a solution provider institute, will do in partnership and consultation with the youths is to evolve a well-researched Youth Agenda which will be a set of policies, and programmes including entrepreneurship packages and models that will, in concrete terms, address all the burning issues agitating the minds of our youths such that the ‘Japa’ syndrome will gradually be reversed.

    The Institute has a cocktail of ideas, on how our 133 million multidimensionally poor Nigerians can be taken out of poverty over a period of time just like India, China and Brazil have done successfully.

    From all that you have said so far you have given the impression that management consultants are high profile professionals, like Lawyers, Accountants, Auditors, HR Practitioners etc. If this is the case which body controls, regulates the profession?

    The body that regulates the profession in Nigeria is called Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria (IMCON) which I am highly privileged to be its current President and Chairman of Council. IMCON, is a professional body for experienced versatile and highly competent Management Consultants in both the public and private sectors of Nigeria. Established in 1979, the institute was set up primarily to groom educationally qualified Nigerians to become highly rated Management Consultants in the private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy in particular and Africa in general. Our members by training, exposure, expertise and experience prevent and solve knotty managerial problems with a view to enhancing the achievement of long range organisational objectives.

    IMCON is the only government recognised management consultancy body in Nigeria as of today as it is the only Management Consultancy Institute that belongs to the umbrella body of Professionals in Nigeria called Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN). Our counterpart professional bodies that belong to the APBN are; the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Chartered Institute of Taxation (CITN), Chartered Institute of Insurance of Nigeria (CIIN) and Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), among others. Any professional body that is not a member of this umbrella body, – APBN – is not a recognised professional outfit and should not be patronised by Nigerians.

    What do members stand to gain at the Institute?

    By joining the institute, individual members will have opportunity to attend an induction course after registration and later participate in Mandatory Management Consultancy Training Programmes (MMCTPs) organised and conducted by IMCON on start-up and advanced consultancy topics; tremendous global networking opportunities through our partners and collaborators, be listed in the Register of Management Consultants in Nigeria career development opportunities among others.

    Does the membership of another professional institute exclude or prevent such a person from joining your Institute, IMCON?

    No. This is because, unlike other single subject professional bodies, management consulting is a multidisciplinary profession which, by the nature of its calling, encourages professionals from different backgrounds to collaborate or come together in a consortium arrangement to execute consultancy assignments, project. As I said, to solve a problem of traffic control or urban waste disposal in city like Lagos, for example, will require the inputs of many experts of diverse backgrounds including Transport Engineers, Urban Economists, Statisticians, Sociologists, Town Planners, Lawyers etc. Together they can write intimidating and convincing proposals to their client. And when they are invited to come and defend and throw more light on their proposals, at what is called Bidders Conference, they are bound to excel because they would have tackled the issue at hand from different perspectives.

    What distinguishes IMCON from other Management Consulting Associations and Institutes in Nigeria?

    IMCON is the only recognised Management Consulting Institute in Nigeria by virtue of its registration with the government backed Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria. APBN which is the umbrella body for all recognised professional bodies in Nigeria. Other notable members of the APBN, are the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) etc. So Nigerians should be wary of patronising any other management consulting body except IMCON.

  • Japa: How we lost multimillion naira to Ibadan-based travels agency – Victims

    Japa: How we lost multimillion naira to Ibadan-based travels agency – Victims

    Some individuals planning to travel to Australia have disclosed how an Ibadan-based travel agency allegedly coerced them into paying substantial sums of money, amounting to millions of naira.

    The victims, who staged a protest in Ibadan for an extended period, accused a travel agency named ‘Christy Manpower‘ of demanding exorbitant fees from them to facilitate their travelling abroad.

    During the demonstration, the victims prominently displayed placards bearing various inscriptions such as “Save us from the hands of Australia travel agent, we have last fortunes,” “We are no longer going to Australia, refund our money,” and “We have lost over N700m to travel agent”, “Refund our money” among others.

    Speaking on behalf of the victims, Silas Oyeniran urged the government and concerned authorities to assist them in recovering their money and punish the suspected Australian Traveling Agency to serve as a deterrent to others who might have the same in mind.

    He lamented that many of the victims have met their untimely death because of the issue, while the well-being of others has been shortchanging due to lack of funds, saying the effect of the loss was enormous on them and their families.

    Narrating their ordeal, Oyeniran said: “We tried to seek greener pastures outside the country due to the bad economy of the country a few months ago.

    “After payment of N5m each, we were told that our Visa will be ready three months after payment, through our findings, we discovered that the visa issued for us was fake.

    “Following a series of complaints by some of us, Olagunju was said to have been arrested by the Police, detained and charged to court, and later granted bail by the court.

    “We are tired of going to court, we are appealing to the government and concerned authority to come to our aid because we are dying and our families are also suffering.

    “Over 2,000 people have fallen victim to this man, many of us have died, many of us have lost our jobs, our businesses, we are frustrated, our homes are currently in distress, many of us sold our family house, some of us obtained load.”

    Read Also: Japa symphony

    Another victim who pleaded anonymity said: “We met him late last year after going to his office, he lured us to apply for Australia which was a fake visa, he perfected the job because Australia used to give electronic visas, so, he was able to edit the electronic visa as if it was real.

    “On the visa, he covered the necessary information needed to verify the genuineness of the visa, he said he did that so that we wouldn’t compromise the visa.

    “We were surprised when we heard about his arrest, we were waiting for our departure date before the news of his arrest broke.

    “The police helped us in the recovery of our passports and investigated the matter, but we are worried and in big distress, we can’t comprehend the pain we are going through, and most of us are falling sick daily.”

  • Japa symphony

    Japa symphony

    No fewer than 15,000 to 16,000 doctors left Nigeria for ‘greener pastures’ in the last five years, the Federal Government recently confirmed. But it said it was making efforts to expand the training scheme for the medics and motivate those who choose to stay back and serve their country.

    Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, lamented during an appearance on a Channels Television programme that the country has witnessed a generation of young doctors, health workers, tech entrepreneurs and other professionals in the medical sector abandoning the country for better opportunities abroad. He said: “In the last five years, the country lost about 15,000 to 16,000 doctors to the Japa syndrome, while about 17,000 were transferred. There are about 300,000 health professionals working in Nigeria today in all cadres. I am talking about doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and others. We did an assessment and discovered we have 85,000 to 90,000 registered Nigerian doctors. Not all of them are in the country though. Some are in the diaspora, especially in the US and UK. But there are 55,000 licensed doctors in the country.”

    According to the minister, the bane of the health system in Nigeria isn’t just the low number of personnel, but also their distribution across the country. “The issue overall, in terms of health professionals, is that they are not enough. They are insufficient in terms of the skill mix. Can you believe most of the highly skilled professional doctors are in Lagos, Abuja and a few urban centres? There is a huge distribution issue,” he said, as he acknowledged that the doctor-to-patient ratio in the country was both inadequate and disproportionate. “The population of doctors overall is about 7,600 in Lagos and 4,700 or thereabouts in Abuja… There are huge distributional issues and there are, of course, opportunities even for some of those who have been trained to get into the market,” he added.

    Read Also: Lagos-Calabar coastal road will connect all regions, says Umahi

    Pate’s appraisal was more factual about the Nigerian situation compared with the bluster by a trained medical doctor and former Labour and Employment Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige, who once said Nigeria had a surplus of doctors and those among them desiring to relocate were encouraged to so do. But Pate too stressed the pull-factor more than he acknowledged the push factor. He said the ‘japa’ syndrome was a global phenomenon not restricted to Nigeria. “Other countries don’t have enough, they’re asking to take more. It is not only in Nigeria. It is happening in India, the Philippines and other parts of Africa,” he stated.

    That may be largely true. But what is peculiar to Nigeria are poor working conditions that force medics to seek opportunities anywhere else but stay in the country. That is an issue government needs to address.  

    •First published April 1, 2024

  • Japa symphony

    Japa symphony

    No fewer than 15,000 to 16,000 doctors left Nigeria for ‘greener pastures’ in the last five years, the Federal Government recently confirmed. But it said it was making efforts to expand the training scheme for the medics and motivate those who choose to stay back and serve their country.

    Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, lamented during an appearance on a Channels Television programme that the country has witnessed a generation of young doctors, health workers, tech entrepreneurs and other professionals in the medical sector abandoning the country for better opportunities abroad. He said: “In the last five years, the country lost about 15,000 to 16,000 doctors to the Japa syndrome, while about 17,000 were transferred. There are about 300,000 health professionals working in Nigeria today in all cadres. I am talking about doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and others. We did an assessment and discovered we have 85,000 to 90,000 registered Nigerian doctors. Not all of them are in the country though. Some are in the diaspora, especially in the US and UK. But there are 55,000 licensed doctors in the country.”

    Read Also: 2027: Obi, Obidients are not our concern now, we are busy with governing Nigeria – Onanuga

    According to the minister, the bane of the health system in Nigeria isn’t just the low number of personnel, but also their distribution across the country. “The issue overall, in terms of health professionals, is that they are not enough. They are insufficient in terms of the skill mix. Can you believe most of the highly skilled professional doctors are in Lagos, Abuja and a few urban centres? There is a huge distribution issue,” he said, as he acknowledged that the doctor-to-patient ratio in the country was both inadequate and disproportionate. “The population of doctors overall is about 7,600 in Lagos and 4,700 or thereabouts in Abuja… There are huge distributional issues and there are, of course, opportunities even for some of those who have been trained to get into the market,” he added.

    Pate’s appraisal was more factual about the Nigerian situation compared with the bluster by a trained medical doctor and former Labour and Employment Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige, who once said Nigeria had a surplus of doctors and those among them desiring to relocate were encouraged to so do. But Pate too stressed the pull-factor more than he acknowledged the push factor. He said the ‘japa’ syndrome was a global phenomenon not restricted to Nigeria. “Other countries don’t have enough, they’re asking to take more. It is not only in Nigeria. It is happening in India, the Philippines and other parts of Africa,” he stated.

    That may be largely true. But what is peculiar to Nigeria are poor working conditions that force medics to seek opportunities anywhere else but stay in the country. That is an issue government needs to address. 

  • Japa: Foreign students likely using higher education to obtain work visas – UK

    Japa: Foreign students likely using higher education to obtain work visas – UK

    James Cleverly, the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, has expressed concerns that foreign students might be utilizing university courses as a cost-effective route to secure work visas.

    In a correspondence to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), Cleverly urged the committee to investigate whether the graduate visa program, allowing foreign graduates to work in the UK for two or three years post-graduation, was attracting the most talented candidates.

    Cleverly also added that while the government was committed to attracting “talented students from around the world to study in the UK”, it also wanted “to ensure the graduate route is not being abused. In particular, that some of the demand for study visas is not being driven more by a desire for immigration.”

    He said: “An international student can spend relatively little on fees for a one-year course and gain access to two years with no job requirement on the graduate route, followed by four years’ access to a discounted salary threshold on the skilled worker route.

    Read Also: Japa: Youths admonished to seek opportunities in Nigeria

    This means international graduates can access the UK labour market with salaries significantly below the requirement imposed on the majority of migrant skilled workers.”

    The committee that provides independent advice to the government was given instructions by the home secretary to look into “any evidence of abuse” of the graduate route, including “the route not being fit for purpose,” and to determine which institutions were generating graduates who used this path.

  • SNAPSONG 211

    SNAPSONG 211

    Japa Song

    The grass is not always greener

         On the other side

    Nor is the Nightingale’s song

         Half as sweet as the Weaverbird’s

    Look left

         Look right

    Look left again

         Before you cross that road

    Aching memories of moons which moan

         In foreign skies

    And the sighs of a mother whose only child

         Is lost to distant dreams

    “See you in another month”,

         Your promise was strong

    As you hurried towards the waiting jet

         With tears in my eyes, hope in my heart

    Three years later your infrequent letters

        Tear me apart with their changing addresses

    From countless places. A curse flies out of my mouth

         Each time I see a flying plane

    I wake up every day, wondering

         How to sing my song of loss

    I damn a cruel country that stands

         Between me and the Love of my former Life

  • Japa syndrome: FG approves training of eight medical doctors in US

    Japa syndrome: FG approves training of eight medical doctors in US

    The federal government has reiterated its determination to protect and promote hardworking and honest Nigerians in the diaspora irrespective of their location.

    The government has acted as a guarantor for eight medical doctors to pursue further training in various medical specialties in the United States for the entirety of their training period.

    It emphasized that while it will not hinder any Nigerian from pursuing their life ambitions in locations of their choosing, it will continue to prioritize capacity building and create conducive environments to retain its workforce.

    The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, approved the medical trainees’ applications for a Statement of Need to be issued to the United States Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

    Pate said the approval was in furtherance of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his conscious commitment to transforming the nation’s healthcare system.

    However, he cautioned that the trainees must uphold the commitment they made in their applications to return to Nigeria immediately after their training and serve their home country for at least two years.

    The trainee professionals and their subspecialty include Dr. Chidiebere Emmanuel Omaliko, a three-year Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the One Brooklyn Health/Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center program; Dr. Ejemenare Dawodu – Fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Duke University Medical Center; Dr. Favour Ekerete Markson training in Cardiology (cardiovascular diseases) at the Jefferson Einstein Hospital, Philadelphia; and Dr. Olanrewaju Adebusuyi Ogunleye Fellowship in Radiology (Breast Imaging) at the University of Texas at Houston Breast Imaging.

    Read Also: Japa syndrome: Tinubu moves against fleeing health workers 

    Others are  Dr. Obinna Theophilus Nwankwo – Fellowship in Nephrology, Fellowship program at the University of Nebraska, Omaha; Dr. Anderson C. Anuforo – Fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at the SUNY Upstate Medical University, New York; Dr. Ayo Samuel Falade- residency training in Hematology/ Oncology at Mayo Clinic School to Graduate Medical Education (MCSGME) Jacksonville, Florida; and Dr. Adanna Ikunna Nwaneri 3 years Fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine.

    All programmes, varying in duration but primarily lasting three years, will begin between June and September 2024.

    According to Pate in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Director of Information Patricia Deworitshe on Thursday, the issuance of the Statement of Note depicts the federal government’s confirmation to the United States Government of a need in Nigeria for the specialized training, being sought by the applicants, thus, paving way for processing of J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa applications for trainees.

    Pate called on the trainees to honour their commitment to return and patriotically serve the country that gave them foundational training and still needs their services.

    The minister further noted that as the trainees do well in the US, they should remember that it is the commonwealth of Nigeria that contributed to their being attractive to the US and avoid being simply inputs or economic migrants.

    While urging Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora to avoid engineering negative perceptions about the country in foreign lands, also assured that the Federal Government is pursuing a policy of Constructive Migration while doing everything possible to improve the working conditions of the existing workforce.

  • Firm moves to tackle Japa, imperialism in Africa

    The Black Wall Street Compassionate Capitalism Economic System announced that it has created 500,000 digital jobs for African youths, aiming to counteract “imperialist brands” hindering Africa’s economic progress by siphoning over $700 billion annually from the continent.

    The organization revealed that digital marketers throughout Africa will utilize a new software called Efficient Onboarding to promote African-origin brands, companies, and industries, thereby fostering job creation and aiding in the responsible utilization of Africa’s resources.

    The organization clarified that the initiative is a crucial component of its broader Compassionate Capitalism economic strategy, aimed at challenging foreign dominance by empowering Africans. 

    It emphasized that in the African digital sphere, the presence of “European imperialists” is prevalent due to their robust digital marketing infrastructure.

    Read Also: Japa syndrome: Tinubu moves against fleeing health workers 

    However, the organization highlighted the positive aspect that its software will enable African digital marketers to actively participate in redirecting Africa’s three trillion-dollar economy, which is increasingly transitioning to online/digital platforms, thus benefiting themselves in the process.

    Speaking more on the initiative, the firm’s founder, King Charles Lambert, urged youths to convert their passion for social media into a cash cow.

    He stated: “This opportunity beats practically anything else you could do with yourself or your interest in social media because it is better than job seeking, better than betting, better than gathering views and hoping for payment from social media platforms and most definitely better than running off to some overseas country to go slave yourself for foreigners while the economy of Africa is being looted by the same people.”