Scholars including Rector of the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, Prof.Akinola Akinlabi and a Chief Lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Dr.Samson Odunlami have asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase its investments in the critical sectors of the economy such as power generation, small and medium scale enterprises and funding of innovations in the areas of science and technology to reduce the disturbing trend of brain drain in the country
The duo in their separate presentations during a three-day 2023 Annual Conference organized by the School of Science and Technology, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, decried the rate at which most of finest brains are leaving Nigeria for better condition of service
Akinlabi in his key note paper on the theme of the conference ,"Brain Drain Conundrum: The Future of Science and Technology in Nigeria, says "the surest way to stem this brain drain is to create decent paying jobs for Nigerians "
The Professor of Industrial Chemistry who lamented that the brain drain has spread from the health sector to the education and creative sectors where thousands of young and mid-leveled intellectuals and creative minds working in the university system and research centres had left the country, stressed the need for government to commission a study into the trending brain drain and develop a strategic short and long-term approach to keep promising Nigerian talents in all walks of life comfortable enough to stay and develop their country
The keynote speaker who said Nigeria as a country could not afford such an exodus of its finest brains , called for introduction of enabling policies by government that encourage young entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive, while efforts should be made to stabilize the economy and improve the value of Naira to enable small and medium business to be competitive and employ more Nigerians
"My personal survey on those who have JAPAS showed that over 50% of them are willing to come , provided the country will engage them by providing these enabling policies and environment for them", he revealed
Similarly Odunlami, a Director, Agro Services and Agropreneurship,Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State, in his lead paper at the third edition of the conference, emphasized the need for government to invest heavily on discovery and development of technological innovations to drive the economy of the country
The Doctor of Phyllosophy Degree holder in Industrial Engineering attributed the worrisome dimension of the brain drain to lack of encouragement for scientists who came out with various technological innovations to support production in the industrial sector and inadequate provision of basic infrastructure for professionals to perform uptimally
The immediate past Dean, School of Engineering stressed the need for government to provide the needed laboratories in public tertiary institutions to train under graduates and enhance quality of researches in the institutions and research centres to support the growth of production in the agro-allied industries in the country
The two-term former Head of Mechanical Engineering Department, however encouraged the young Nigerians , particularly undergraduates in various tertiary institutions to come up with technological innovations to support cottage industries in their local areas to collectively contribute to the growth of Gross Domestic Production of the economy
Also speaking, the Director of School of Science and Technology, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Dr Adepimpe Taiwo had earlier explained that the aims of the conference is to develop evidence-based policies and Interventions that can help address the challenge of brain drain conundrum and the future of Science and Technology in Nigeria
High point of the conference was the presentation of awards to the two main presenters in appreciation of their contributions to the development of Science and Technology in the country
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