Experts in the engineering have stressed that the solutions to the mass migration of Nigerians leaving the country to seek greener pasture in abroad requires a wholesale remaking of Nigeria and a change of our mindsets.
They added that to achieve this federal government has to tackle corruption, revamping of our dilapidated infrastructure and educational system, as well as amending our electoral law and constitution if necessary.
This, they said at the 8th Rev Engr Ette I. Etteh annual distinguished lecture series with the theme: ”National challenges and mass migration of Nigerians, reversing the trend” held in Abuja.
Speaking, the former high commissioner of Nigeria to India, with concurrent accreditation to Bangladesh, Sri Lank and Nepal, H. E., Major Gen Chris Eze noted that mass migration is a real problem in Nigeria, but our government does not appear to take it as seriously as it should because of our huge population and because of the remittances that migrants send home.
He added that this is a problem because the bulk of the migrants are the skilled youths on which the future of the country depends. Many of our migrants also suffer degrading and racist treatments by their hosts abroad.
“It is true that the very people who cre vested with the constitutional responsibility to carry out those reforms are largely the beneficiaries of the flawed system that needs such drastic change. But one can only hope that the contemplation of the alternative to those reforms which is the citizens taking laws into their hands, and our elections returning to the era of open warfare out of which we thought that we had come, will spur them to have a change of mindset.
“Our professionals should try to jettison the one-man business culture which Nigerians are known for and pool their resources to build conglomerates that can compete with foreign owned firms for business of least in this country.
“The legislature on its part should address Atiku’s prescriptions in the most expeditious way it can by setting in motion without delaying the process of the amendment of our electoral act and our constitution to get his recommendations and the recommendations of other patriotic Nigerians passed into law with the president’s assent or through an override if he withholds that assent in time for them to be used in the next elections which will hold in 2027.
“Members of the national assembly must internalize the fact that the basic problem of Nigeria, including the mass migration that we are talking about, is a near total loss of faith in the electoral system. which determines our leadership recruitment process,” he said.
Meanwhile, the president, Nigerian Society Of Engineers, Engr Tasiu Sa’ad Gidari-Wudil while commending on the theme of the event noted that we should not be bothered so much about the mass migration of Nigerians.
Engr Tasiu Sa’ad Gidari-Wudil who represented by Engr Chinasaokwu I. Okolie, added that all of us who are trained are going out there not to remain there but their gaining knowledge equally.
“When they go out there they should ensure that they are good citizens. The only thing we should do is to find a way to reduce the numbers of mass migration because we are losing a lot.”
Earlier, the national chairman, Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers, Engr V. C. Ezugu noted that many we ask the relevance of such a topic to civil engineers. He added that the Nigeria Civil Engineers is a member of the society and many of them are involved in the “JAPA syndrome” but most importantly their contribution to economic development and society through the provision of sustainable infrastructure is key to stemming this tide of mass migration.
He said, “ It is therefore pertinent and of utmost importance that we educate our member and the public, the immense responsibilities on Civil Engineers in moving this country forward.”
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