Brain drain: JCI joins FG, states to stop ‘japa’ syndrome

The Junior Chambers International (JCI) has expressed support to the federal and state governments toward reducing or stopping the rate at which people relocate from the country.

JCI, a non-profit organization that provides leadership training and development programmes that empower young people to create positive change in their communities, lamented that the syndrome has affected many sectors in the country.

The Nigeria President-elect of the organisation, Ms Sandra Ekene Efemuaye, disclosed this in Abuja at the weekend during the organisation’s 2023 national convention with the theme, ‘Skills, Engagement and Development: Fostering Youth Participation for National Growth’.

Efemuaye told journalists that the organisation would, in 2024, engage the government at all levels and those who had relocated abroad to come home with their skills and knowledge to invest it in the country.

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“The japa syndrome has been a major problem across different sectors of the economy. But in 2024, at JCI, we will be engaging youths to see Nigeria as the only country. We can’t all leave. We are encouraging those who had left to get necessary knowledge and skills, and come back home to develop Nigeria,” she said.

According to her, the initiative became imperative in order to help the government in one or two areas, particularly in boosting the economy of the country.

The JCI boss added, “We will be working closely with different sectors, both from the states and the federal government. We will be integrating a partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports across the states to see how we can work together in empowering youths with different skills which they require to live in the changing world.

“We don’t just rely on the government to provide jobs, if these are empowered, I’m sure that we will have a better Nigeria, and the economy of Nigeria will be better.

“At JCI in 2024, we will be focusing on uniting the public and civil society in the strategic partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and other parastatals.”