The recent increase in migration, especially among skilled professionals, leaving the country will not hinder long-term economic prosperity, provided appropriate measures are implemented to promote knowledge transfer.
This viewpoint was expressed by Eric Osei-Assibey, an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Ghana.
He elaborated that technological advancements ensure that the skills acquired by Ghanaians abroad can still be shared, even if individuals do not physically return to their home countries.
Professor Osei-Assibey shared this perspective during the launch and inaugural lecture of the Pan-African International Students (PAIS) movement, a platform aimed at harnessing the benefits of the growing number of African students studying abroad.
Citing a recent example, he explained: “I was somewhere recently, and when I spoke to students there about returning to Africa they were unhappy, saying there are no opportunities – and that is a reflection of how they perceive things to be at the moment. But there is innate patriotism in them, and that should never be overlooked”.
Trends
The economist made his statement at a time when the pace of emigration has increased, with attrition rates in industries including finance, healthcare services, and technology exceeding four times pre-2022 levels.
Data from the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) secretariat indicates a significant trend: over 10,000 nurses have applied for clearance to seek employment opportunities abroad since the beginning of the year. Approximately 4,000 of them have received clearance and have embarked on overseas employment journeys.
The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Canada are the preferred destinations for these nurses, primarily due to improved working conditions and flexible schedules offered in those countries.
This surge in the demand for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, can be attributed to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing phenomenon known as the ‘Great Resignation.’ The Great Resignation refers to the mass resignation of employees, which started in early 2021 as a response to the economic impacts of the pandemic. Reasons for this trend include stagnant wages, rising living costs, limited career advancement opportunities, hostile work environments, lack of benefits, inflexible work policies, and prolonged job dissatisfaction. The sectors most affected by these resignations include hospitality, healthcare, and education.
The healthcare sector in the United Kingdom has been particularly hard-hit, with reports indicating that around 4,000 European doctors left the UK’s healthcare services following Brexit. Over the past two years, nurses have been leaving the UK’s health service in record numbers, primarily due to the strain of managing a healthcare system with 133,000 vacant positions.
The remaining healthcare workers are overworked and underpaid, exacerbating the situation. Data also reveals that 15,000 nurses resigned from the health service in the year leading up to March 2022, with 4,000 citing work-life balance issues as their primary reason for leaving.
Some of these nurses have chosen to work in the Middle East, mirroring the motivations of their Ghanaian counterparts.
Additionally, the UK government has announced a substantial increase in student visa application fees, from £127 to £490, representing a 385 percent increase, effective from October 4, following the enactment of new legislation. Furthermore, the British government has raised visit visa application fees from £100 to £115.
These fee hikes are intended to sustain the immigration system independently, without relying on funding from British taxpayers.
In contrast, countries like Canada are actively pursuing immigration policies, such as the Immigration Levels Plan, with the aim of welcoming over 460,000 new immigrants annually until 2025, demonstrating their commitment to attracting and accommodating a substantial number of newcomers.
Knowledge Transfer
But Prof. Osei-Assibey believes that the onus is mostly on the state, among all stakeholders, to work toward a framework that ensures skills gained by these individuals benefit the country in the long-run.
“Throughout history, people have migrated and will continue to migrate for a variety of reasons, but the question we must ask is: How can this be beneficial in the long-run?” he remarked.
“We have not witnessed much growth economically because the focus has been on the transfer of technology. However, even if the most advanced technology is transferred, without the requisite knowledge on how to operate it we would not see the benefits. The focus now must be how to collectively build an environment that sees the transfer of knowledge; that should be the emphasis, and our people in the diaspora serve as the best bet to partnering for this knowledge-transfer,” he added.