‘Brain Drain’ threat to Africans collective security and development—Nigerian Armed Forces

The delegation after visiting MUST

By Victor Singano Jnr, Correspondent

A group of Nigeria Armed Forces Command and staff college students, which was in the country for a week-long study, described ‘brain drain’  as one of the major challenges affecting collective security and development in African countries.

The group, which was hosted by Malawi Defence Force (MDF), are on  Africa security study tour which is an annual cardinal event aimed at enabling Nigerian Armed Forces students to travel to selected African countries to study how social-cultural events, history, economy, political landscape of African countries interplay to enable countries address issues of security and and national development.

Last week, the delegation — leader by Nigeria military Commodore Promise Dappa were taken to Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) by the MDF for them to learn and appreciate issues of brain drain using the case study of Malawi.

Commodore Dappa brain drain is the biggest challenge being experienced by most African countries, which is mainly contributing to loss of well-qualified and trained soldiers who are sneaking out to other countries more especially to Europe, Asia as well as America in search of opportunities, working conditions, higher academic qualifications just to mention a few.

“There is a need for African countries to find means of returning their soldiers who went to other countries in order to contribute to their countries.

“We also need to address issues of improving our working conditions, quality of services, salary increment — because if we continue develop our human resources and lose it we cannot achieve our goals,” he said.

In his remarks, MDF’ Colonel Alinane Simwaka said the tour would benefit Malawi in a number of areas on how brain drain is affecting the country and Africa at large on security and development and how it can be solved.

“The interactive tour is going on well and from the few departments they have visited so far, we’ve learnt a number of things and we believe that if we implement these ideas things will really improve,” Colonel Simwaka said.

MUST Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jonathan Chanunkha said: “Malawi needs to seriously address issues contributing to brain drain, which is really affecting the country in different government institutions — if we are to achieve the MW2063 plan and create a conducive working environment for the citizens and that every Malawian should take part in supporting the government.”

The group visited Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, MDF Headquarters, National Planning Commission and Technical Entrepreneurship and Vocational Education and Training Authority  (TEVETA) as well as Immigration Headquarters in Blantyre and Chancellor College in Zomba.

Other similar delegations were in Botswana, Rwanda, Morocco, Mauritania, Liberia, Algeria and Benin.