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Flight of engineers paralyses development
2007-09-02 10:15:56
By Darius Mukiza
Many quality, disciplined and seasoned engineers are fleeing the country in search of green pastures in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana literally crippling engineering development of the nation\'s various sectors.
\"The country does not produce enough engineers but the few competent available ones run away to get better pay,\" Steven Mlote, the registrar of the Engineers Registration Board said in an interview with this newspaper, adding that 46 years of independence have produced only 7,300 engineers, each serving an average of 5,000 people.
Mlote added: \"In countries like Japan and China an engineer serves only 127 people. That explains the engineering development in those countries.
China and India produce 600,000 and 300,000 engineers per year respectively. You can now see how far behind we are.\"
Engineers are vital in the development of all sectors of the economy and their exodus will virtually paralyze that much needed aspect, and the ERB is advising the government to prepare attractive terms that will hold them from running away and at the same time invite those outside to come back although Mlote could not reveal the number of engineers who have fled the country in recent years.
Recently there are about 800 registered engineers from 700 last year and 450 two years ago, he said, emphasizing, however, that most of them were yet to be exposed to vast experience.
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