Otti Identifies Good Governance, Job Creation as Antidote to Japa Syndrome

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia


As Nigerians continue to emigrate to foreign nations in search of greener pastures, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said that the phenomenon known as Japa syndrome can only be controlled with good governance and job creation.

He suggested this antidote when he received the executives of the Bankers Institutes of Nigeria (CIBN), who visited him at his Umuehim Nvosi country home in Isialangwa South Local Government Area of the state.

Otti, who was responding to Japa syndrome, which was among the issues raised by the CIBN, said that it cannot be stopped with legislation or even appeal to patriotism.

He stated that the solution lies with the nation’s political leaders, adding that they should put on their thinking caps and come up with good policies and programmes that would create similar opportunities pulling Nigerians to foreign lands.

He said: “Japa syndrome is actually the reality that faces us. You cannot legislate it, you cannot do anything about it once your economy and your system don’t look conducive or don’t look attractive, or if other economies are looking better than yours.

“So, the only response you have is to create the enabling environment, create jobs for them and encourage them to stay back”.

According to him, wherever the right policies are in place “to attract young talented people, 
they will go there, no matter what you do” hence the need to make Nigeria attractive to its citizens.

“So it behooves us who form the leadership cadre in the country to put on our thinking caps and come out with solutions to the japa syndrome,” Otti said.

The Abia governor, who is an economist and former bank chief, explained that Japa syndrome is a function of “demand and supply situation”, which is an interesting concept in economics.

“If demand is higher than supply, prices will go up. If your prices go up, demand will go down. So that is how it is,” he said.

The governor used the occasion to approve the request of the CIBN for land to  build a bankers’ training institute in Abia State.

“The request for land to build the secretariat is in order and we are going to accede to the request. I will ask the Principal Secretary to engage with the Honourable Commissioner for Land and Housing to identify a suitable place for the Secretariat to be erected,” he assured the CIBN.

Otti urged the bankers body to subscribe to the two state-of-the-art smart cities his administration is planning to build, one in Aba and the other in Umuahia.

He said the new cities will be so sophisticated that everyone will want to live there, adding that there will be low cost housing estates conducive for living for those who may not be able to afford the high cost ones.

The public relations officer of CIBN, Mr. Kelechi Adiele, had in his address said that they were in Abia to identify with one of their own and discuss various ways of deepening the relationship between the CIBN, the Bankers Committee and the state.

They commended Governor Otti for his visible and verifiable achievements within a short period in office which has enhanced the productivity and the economy of the state.   

The professional group of bankers specifically thanked Otti “for the environment that you have made very conducive for banking activities to take place in Abia State,” citing improvements in road infrastructure and security.

Adiele noted that prior to Otti’s assumption of office as the Governor of Abia State, “banks in Abia State were not working on Mondays which had negatively affected both the turnover of these banks and even the personal security of bankers.”

According to him, before Otti’s administration came on board, bankers “more or less had to sneak into the office on Mondays, but today, we move freely even on Mondays.”

Among the delegation of the CIBN executives on a working visit to Abia,were Mr. Olatunji Olaoba, CBN Branch Controller, Umuahia and Chairman Bankers Committee Abia State; Lady Roseline Chinenye Ogalabu, Chairman CIBN Abia State Branch.

Others were Mr. Ogbuagu Camillus Ogbonnaya, Assistant Director CBN and First Vice Chairman CIBN, and Dr. Chiavoghilefu, Regional Manager of EcoBank and Treasurer CIBN.