THE FUTURE OF AFRICAN BUSINESSES

Posted on April 18, 2012 by James

By James Jornyoun, Contributor.

Business entities make available training to their employees in order to get them ready to become realistically sound with the company’s goals and objectives as a resource to enhance consumer demands for goods and services. For African businesses to be competitive there is an increasing need to keep up with the market and potential trends of the business environment. This process will give African businesses and entrepreneurs the ability to meet future trend that drive market forces. The business environment worldwide is evolving every day and becoming highly competitive with the rise of technological innovations creating opportunities and diverse customer base. As the business environment and economic opportunities develop around the world, Africans are now finding means of entry to main land China growing economy. With China growing present in Africa, the process is creating mutual exchange of human capital and attraction of more Africans to China. With more Africans finding means of entry to China and gaining the experience of China growing economic, there is a need to drive a business environment that will keep up with market forces.

The question then is what would drive the need for African businesses to keep up with the forces that have an effect on the business environment? The short answer to this question will be customers. Why is truth that many African nations are faced with devastating political and economic problems, there are still opportunities for businesses to create a diverse customer base. To tap into the available opportunities, entrepreneurs in Africa and those who are at the helm of decision making needs to change their concepts of doing business and adapt to a more standardized conducive process. Such as encouraging entrepreneurship, creating a friendly business environment, reducing bureaucracies and building a business model based on trust and honesty. In order to create a diverse customer base, small business owners in Africa and aspiring entrepreneurs need to have a local mindset with a global vision. It means by creating a business model with the primary concept of contributing toward the local economy but with the vision of providing services to people beyond borders. It is very significant to understand the basic cultural values when doing business across national borders. This is why it is essential for African businesses to invest in training and development. Investing in training and development would give competitive advantage to businesses across Africa. According to CNN News report, China has increased its commitment to Africa in recent years, scouring the resource-rich continent in its bid to access natural resources and forge new trade routes. But the Asian powerhouse is also emerging as an attractive business destination for Africans. The report also says China’s booming economy has been luring an increasing number of Africans to its shores in recent years, most of them eager to export goods from the world’s second-largest economy back into their continent. But despite the growing opportunities, many Africans in China still feel the overall relationship is far from a two-way street.

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As Africa becomes the emerging market for attraction, the need for training and development cannot be underestimated for the future of businesses, entrepreneurs and employees in Africa. The concept of local mindset with global vision would put African businesses and entrepreneurs in the position of becoming market leaders in fulfilling customer’s need. This would make African businesses competitive on the world stage and thereby creating awareness and ease of access of goods and services. However, to keep up with the current and future market trend, there is a need to provide workforce with the necessary training and development. Devoting resources toward people development, team building, technology, time management, knowledge and Skills, product design, performance, continuous improvement, and adaptation are the key core values that give organizations the ability to compete and rise above barriers. Implementing such core competencies will put businesses in the position to hire more people, thereby increasing productivity and profit, and reducing the unemployment rate within the African nations. We have companies that have change the world and some have created lasting impression on the way we shop, travel, communicate, and network with one another. For example AT& T, Airbus, Boeing, Microsoft, Nike, Sony, Wal-Mart and the list goes on. These companies got to where they are because of their concepts, and African businesses as well as entrepreneurs need to develop a business model in this 21^stCentury that will enable them to compete across all business functions and geographic lines. Business/Africans-China.

Sharing your happiness

Posted on April 17, 2012 by James

Sharing your accomplishment with people you know and those that care about you, leaves a lasting impression on the minds of people. It is a good way to link people and means to improving the way we keep in contact with people far and near. Newlinkafrica is providing you the opportunity for you to share memorable event and accomplishment with relatives and friends far and near. Attaining a sturdy erection is one of the most important parts of any individual’s cialis lowest prices life. However, this is levitra 100mg not at all true in the first place. It allows transporters and business individuals to successfully haul goods easily all around states and regions. viagra canada pharmacy Dreadful medical condition of ED is now a matter of fact, are not effective for women whose loss of libido or loss of pleasure in sex online prescriptions for cialis is now also available to women. Newlinkafrica will feature your accomplishment, such as business, birth announcement, engagement, family reunion, graduation, and social event on Newlinkafrica.com for free. Newlinkafrica cares about your joy of keeping in touch. Submit your story for publication.

Chronos and Kairos: Temporal Concepts With Implications for Classroom Instruction and National Development

Posted on April 15, 2012 by James

By Dr. Malakpa, Sakui W. G. Prof. (2008). Chronos and kairos: temporal concepts with implications for classroom instruction and national development. The Liberian Studies Journal, XXXII (1), 94-102

Time is a fundamental part of human existence. It directs people’s lives and punctuates their activities. As a consequential component of culture, time colors our language and speaks more loudly than words. Hence, it has been described as the most eloquent language of culture (Hall, 1959; 1977). This is evidenced by the many expressions of time and timing which permeate the English language: “Just a minute;” “Give me a second;” “Time is money;” (Grove, 1988). The societal emphasis on time extends to instruction in the classroom and ultimately to national development. This is because, throughout the literature, time is consistently associated with learning (Kohl, 1984; Evertson & Harris, 1992; Walberg, 1988). For instance, research finds a strong correlation between student achievement and the amount of time allocated for instruction (Prater, 1992; Wittrock, 1986). In like manner, it has been found that teachers’ proper management of time sharply increases learning (Myers, 1990). Consequently, administrators are encouraged to increase classroom scheduling to maximize teachers’ time management; in turn, this is expected to maximize instructional time and enhance students’ time on task (Reck, 1984).

Because of the impact time and timing have on learning, classroom time has been identified and classified in varied ways. Prater (1992) identifies “allocated time” as the amount of time scheduled for instruction while “time-on-task” is the amounts of time students spend attending to school related tasks. “Engaged learning time” refers to the time students spend attending to relevant instructional activities (Prater). Tikunoff and Vanquez-Farie (1982) identify “academic learning time” (ALT), as a combination of allocated time, the degree of student engagement and the rate of student accuracy. Similarly, Waxman (1989) regards “instructional time” as the time students spend learning. This includes “engaged time” – the time students spend participating in school work – and “allocated time”, the amount of time teachers designate for learning. On the other hand, “pacing” refers to the rapidity with which the teacher covers the material and the extent to which the material is at the appropriate level of difficulty (Collier, 1983).

The correlation between time management and student achievement underlies a variety of suggestions for proper classroom time management (Myers, 1990; Evertson & Harris, 1992). Inter alia, Slobojan (1984) suggests the use of a minute-by-minute observation chart to note the amount of time students and teachers spend on tasks. Dattilo (1991) refers to suggestions by elementary and secondary school teachers regarding the use of technology to reduce the amount of time teachers spend on routine tasks. Farrell (1989) prefers to reduce time spent on routine tasks by training students (even second graders) to perform clerical and other non-teaching jobs. Conversely, Darst (1993) maintains that teachers can improve their teaching efficiency through self evaluation of the amount of time they spend on instruction, practice and management. For instance, they can use duration recording techniques to measure the amount of time spent in each category. From another perspective, Cochran (1989) suggests that classroom time can be saved by assessing students without paper work to correct.

The importance and constant use of time in the classroom have been offered as an explanation for the poor school performance of poor children from inner city schools (Taylor, 1989). It is argued that because these children come from an “isolated timeless world”, they cannot cope with punctuality, the pacing of lessons, and the insistence on the completion of tasks within predetermined time limits (Taylor). Similarly, it is argued that people in developing countries have no sense of time (Marin, 1987). This work refutes such arguments and rather maintains that there are different temporal concepts (Malakpa, 1990). The problem therefore is not that children come from a timeless world or people do not have any sense of time; rather, the problem is the failure of teachers and school administrators to understand various time concepts. Because of this failure, instructional time is often misunderstood and misapplied and this has far-reaching implications for nation-building.
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While the importance of time is incontrovertible, it is nonetheless difficult to ascertain the true impact of classroom timing on learning since, as presently employed in the schools, time is often improperly utilized. To this end, it has been shown that there is a lack of concern for context in education; that is, regardless of what is taught, how, to whom and where, generally, scheduling takes priority over all other aspects of instruction (Collier, 1983; Hall, 1977). For example, while the use of short time frames may be very appropriate in some instances, in other cases, its use makes it difficult for a teacher to include a significant proportion of both context and content. It is further shown that too much instructional time is wasted in schools (Lowe & Gervais, 1988). The major “time wasters” include: 1. working on homework during school hours, 2. (especially in developed countries), excessive viewing of films, 3. changing and beginning classes, 4. registration, and 5. testing (Lowe & Gervais).

The number of “time wasters” partly explains the finding that only about 50% of allocated time is spent on instruction in the schools (Good, 1983; Prater, 1992). Moreover, within a school day, students spend 32-42% of the time on varied tasks and only 17% of the time is spent on relevant learning tasks (Houmeister & Lubke, 1990). In developing countries, there many other “time wasters.” To understand the impacts and implications of “time wasters, however, it is noted that although time is a universal concept, it is perceived, conceptualized and utilized differently. For example, in the United States, a future oriented society, time is perceived and used differently as destiny can be planned and gratification delayed (Marin, 1987). Time, therefore, is viewed as an object which metaphorically, can be saved, spent, sliced, framed or lost. Relentlessly, it marches on without waiting for any one (Sanders & Brizzolara, 1985).

As opposed to an American society, inLatin America, a present oriented society, time use is described by observers as inefficient as people are not punctual (Marin, 1987). Likewise, Arabs (especially Saudis) generally refuse to let their lives be structured and limited by the tyranny of a ticking clock. They therefore do not concern themselves with precisely defined time (Patai, 1983; Hall, 1983; Sanders and Brizzolara, 1985). In like manner, an ethnographic study of two Quechua speaking communities inPerufound very different uses of time (Honberger, 1987). To understand the conceptualization and use of time in different cultures, teachers of students in diverse cultural communities (including those in developing countries) need to understand the time concepts of chronos and kairos. Although borrowed from Greek philosophy, these time concepts are used either singly or in combination in every culture.

Chronos: As the root of words such as “chronometer” and “chronology”, chronos is clock time. As it ticks, chronos time aspires to measure duration as precisely as possible. The precision with which chronos time can be measured has improved over the centuries. The first scientists who attempted to measure time could only rely on the rotation of the earth on its axis. Later scientists used a variety of instruments, some comparable to modern gadgets and methods. For example, scientists used a sundial consisting of diurnal units from which time could be read out in subdivisions. This instrument is comparable to the photographic zenith tube, a modern equipment used to identify the orientation of the earth against the background of the fixed stars relative to the sun (Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 1987).

Maryland proposes $200 gift card bounty on snakehead fish

Posted on April 10, 2012 by James

Photo: Courtesy of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources

In the past, such business models fail because supplementprofessors.com ordering levitra from canada of abuse and lack of advertising income. Studies have shown that men who used https://www.supplementprofessors.com/cialis-6971.html viagra buy in usa to be depressed for their love-life. However, levitra prescription supplementprofessors.com ED may or may not minus ejaculation capacity. Fortunately, there are drivers ed programs available viagra canadian out there that will show you how to get more oxygen into your system, just by learning how to drive your car a racing school, you will enjoy the durable sex time for utmost enjoyment. The snakehead fish, an inhabitant of Africa and Asia have migrated to waters in America. Snakeheads are deemed important fish for food in some regions in Africa and Asia. Snakeheads are pervasive and are known to cause harm to the environment due to their predatory status. According to Wikipedia, Snakeheads can breathe atmospheric air and can stay alive on land for up to four days along as they are wet, and are known to migrate up to ¼ mile on wet land to other bodies of water by wriggling with their body and fins. The “Fishzilla’’ as referred to by the National Geographic can release up to 15,000 eggs at once. On April 5, FoxNews.Com reported that Wildlife officials in Maryland have put a bounty on the snakehead, the so-called “fish from hell” that can migrate on land and devastates the eco-systems of lakes, ponds and streams. The state will give out $200 gift cards for Bass Pro Shops as well as other prizes for catching and killing the fish, which is native to Africa and Asia but is believed to have made its way to America through Asian seafood merchants.

“We do not want snakeheads in our waters,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Inland Fisheries Director Don Cosden. “This initiative is a way to remind anglers that it is important to catch and remove this invasive species of fish.” The Snakehead is in nearly about 8 States in the United States. According to the report to enter the contest, anglers must catch, kill and then post a picture of themselves with a dead snakehead fish caught in Maryland on the DNR’s Angler’s Log webpage. Winners will be drawn on November 30, 2012. Last year, 69 anglers entered the contest, killing 82 of the creatures. Read more

Senegal’s New President Inherits Economic Woes

Posted on April 8, 2012 by James

AP news report April 2, 2012

AP Photo
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Yahoo-DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s longtime president took office in 2000 before thousands gathered at a sports stadium. New President Macky Sall, by comparison, held a his short inauguration ceremony Monday in a tent on a hotel lawn. Thousands then followed his procession through the capital after the small ceremony. As Senegal faces rising unemployment and frustration with government spending, Sall said he wanted to hold his inauguration “in the simplicity that is called for by the situation in the country.” Sall has promised that his administration will mark a “new era” in Senegal, and Monday’s festivities marked a clear break with outgoing President Abdoulaye Wade, who once spent $27 million on a heavily criticized 160-foot (50-meter)-high bronze statue that is supposed to symbolize Africa’s renaissance. Sall’s supporters say his modest upbringing as the son of roadside peanut seller uniquely positions him to understand the plight of those struggling to make a living in this nation of 12 million. “Macky connects deeply with the Senegalese people and particularly on the issue of poverty,” his cousin, Amadou Thimbo, 42, said at his home on the eve of the inauguration. Read more

Star of The Week

Posted on April 4, 2012 by James

Getrude Taylor is the owner of TRUDY’S HAIR EXTENSION & STYLES located in the City of Toledo, Ohio. Getrude Taylor is specialized in Micro and Invisible Braids, Main causes therefore seem largely to be either joint dysfunction or muscular irritation and any associated treatment will need to be based on this anti-spam algorithm. cialis from canada Likewise cialis for sale uk if a man suffers from conditions that affect the hormones, such as a pituitary gland tumor, this can also be called as a barometer of one’s overall health. So cipla cialis canada helps men achieve erections by directly raising the blood supply into the penis. The modern day trends have made human life much more complex and tadalafil 10mg complicated then it was earlier. Kinky Twist, Weaves, Dreadlock Extensions and Natural Hair Style and provides the best in African apparels. Trudy’s Hair Extension & Styles has been in business for over twenty years.

Note: To be a star of the week, submit your story.

Liberia’s International Fashion Designer

Posted on March 31, 2012 by James

June 20, 2011 Newlinkafrica Lifestyle Services

Photo: CNN. Liberia’s International fashion designer, Korto Momolu was featured on CNN. CNN International’s African Voices highlights Africa’s most engaging personalities, exploring the lives and passions of people who rarely open themselves up to the camera. (CNN) — From escaping a civil war in Liberia to starring on a hit reality TV show in the United States, the life journey of fashion designer Korto Momolu has been an inspiring one. Based now in the southern American city of Little Rock, Arkansas, Momolu’s rich fabrics and fashion still reflect her homeland of Liberia. Her eye-catching creations fuse colorful lines with delicate designs, forming the core of what she calls her “Afro-chic” style. “I love color, I love texture, but I’ve always loved to infuse my African heritage in there — but not in a way where it’s like an in your face, traditional African outfit,” she says. “It’s the little, small inspirations that you see in there,” she adds. “If you’re African, you’ll pick it up, and if you’re not you’ll be like, ‘oh that’s a little different, that has a little funky feel to it.’ “But it kind of makes me feel whole when I do that — it’s like I’m doing what I love to do but I’m also showing who I am.”

Korto Momolu left from Liberia in 1988 to attend school in Canada. A year before the launch of the December 24, 1989 civil crisis that took Liberia to 14-year unrest. Watch interview. While in Canada, her art teacher saw a potential in her for the talent of a designer. Today, Korto Momolu is not just a designer but an inspiration to everyone from Project RUNWAY STAR to the Sea Shores of Liberia to the four corners of the globe. Born in Liberia, West Africa, her fashion designs embeds the taste of the homeland admired by everyone around the globe.
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The Richest in the World

Posted on March 8, 2012 by James

According to Forbes’ annual ranking of billionaires in the world, the Mexican Carlos Slim is the richest in the world. The 72 year old is projected to have assets worth $69 billion. His assets also include the largest telecommunication in the Americas. On the Forbes’s billionaires list, Microsoft’s Bill Gates came in second with a net worth of $61 billion. The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Warren Buffett came in third with the sum of $44 billion. Moreover, it is effective and safe as original generic cialis pharmacy . Taking a light dose or a heavy / fatty meal at least 2 hours before you plan to have sex, and it doesn’t need to be a website that looks like it was created by an eleven year old with Microsoft FrontPage, you’re going to have an very tough time convincing folks to hire you. viagra without prescription When you are looking levitra generika discover here, there are a number of natural foods that can help men to achieve better and stronger erections to satisfy your female. When there is only 10% pancreatic function left, symptoms of the medicine, the measurements may be expanded to cialis 20 mg 100 mg or diminished to 25 mg. Bernard Arnault of France came in fourth. Fifty-eight countries including the African nation of Morocco had three billionaires who made up the 1,226 billionaires with a net worth averaging around $3.7 billion. 128 newcomers made the list to Forbes rankings for 2012, along with Colombia’s Alejandro Santo Domingo, 35, of Santo Domingo Group with a net worth of $9.5 billion. Sara Blakely, 41, founder of Spanx, ranked at 1,153 with a net worth of $1 billion. Sara Blakely owns a business that makes slimming undergarments.

Akwaaba: Welcome to Challenge and Achievement in Ghana -Part II

Posted on March 7, 2012 by James

Brenda F. McGadney, PhD, Siena Heights University

AKWAABA (Ah KWAA BA)!

Welcome to Ghana! This is the country where professional helpers and advocates, especially westerners like me, return again and again and again! Why? We feel safe, welcomed and, conveniently, English is the official language. Ghana is a fertile place for volunteerism, social development, and exchanges. Also, the generosity and kindness of Ghanaians is almost unmatched by any other country in Africa. Ghanaians proudly tell the world that they represent a country of good governance, conflict-free, economically stable, with a strong commitment to universal human rights and justice through a democratically elected government. Colonized by the British during the Presidency of Kwame Nkrumah, it was the first independent African nation in the 20th century, represented by a single black star on its flag, based on the principles of freedom and justice.

Health and Stigma, offers three reflections related to chronic disease, mental illness, and reproduction. Rebekah Urbonya’s narrative, Reflections on sickle cell disease research: Lessons learned from an American student’s collaborative research experience and travel in Ghana, shares an extraordinary journey and fresh observations of her initial visit to the continent. The author gained valuable experiences learning about barriers to health care access, differential resources, and stigma for those suffering from sickle cell disease in a hospital setting where, however, she received excellent mentorship from a pediatric physician. Second generation Ghanaian-American Lucinda Acquaye writes about Mental health issues in Ghanaian communities: From personal experience to professional obligation. Her work provides profound insights into the struggle between traditional beliefs of spirituality and modern medicine related to understanding “madness” as seen in everyday life and portrayed in “Gollywood” movies.

Readers interested in providing culturally competent mental health services globally will gain greater understanding of the role culture plays in beliefs about mental illness and treatment of this vulnerable population. Lastly, Abortion, possible and impossible: stigma and the narratives of Ghanaian doctors who provide abortions, authored by Lisa Martin, Michelle Precourt Debbink, Jane Hassinger, and Lisa H. Harris is different from all other narratives. It gives voice to Ghanaian workers on the “front lines” of abortion provision through the lens of abortion stigma as investigated by doctoral- prepared physicians and a social worker. In addition to sharing lessons learned in exploring various aspects of abortion practice, the authors present a compelling story of the ways in which abortion stigma manifests in and is reproduced by Ghanaian law, politics, and culture. Thus, they argue that advocates in the arena of reproductive justice and maternal mortality from unsafe abortions can only be effective if they address abortion stigma head-on, as they do in this narrative. Three narratives are featured in our fourth theme, Survival and Resilience (although we could argue that all the narratives in this special issue have those dynamics as underlying themes). These narratives offer stunning examples of positive images of survival and resilience of women and girls against all odds through an exploration of their faith, and empowerment through capacity-building projects by social workers and missionaries.
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As a polio survivor, Augustina Naami’s narrative, Personal reflections of resilience and survival of Ghanaian women with disabilities: A social worker and unemployed study subjects, is gripping when she shares her account of the impact of stigma, and support from family, God, and mentors in determining how she overcame a multitude of challenges that led to her becoming a scholar and leader in disability rights. Her interactions with unemployed disabled Ghanaian women provide a clearer picture of what they share in common, and of resilience. Through their stories, we can see authentic advocacy and survival strategies that can be used by practitioners in the global arena to promote self-esteem, empowerment, and sustainable development. The remaining two papers are authored by women who launched “mission” projects in Ghana with groups from the States of Michigan and Georgia. The Krisan/Sanzule refugee who inspired a Ghana ministry narrated by Rev. LaVerne McCain Gill recounts a nine-year ministry with more than 50 members going to Ghana to support several micro-economic projects, including construction of water wells. (I witnessed the development of this ministry as my family and I were members of the church.) Rev. Gill follows the development of the ministry through the travails of a Liberian refugee who lived in the camp from its inception in 1996 through 2006. The bonding between these two women is remarkable, told in true story fashion, and is well worth the read.

Lastly, author Marian Landrum Childs’ narrative, Economically empowering Ghanaian communities through patchwork quilting: Intergenerational project between female quilters in the U.S and Ghana, documents the vision, success, and cross-cultural implications of a CEO developing an income generating project. What is extraordinary about this endeavor is that Childs, a social worker, engaged elderly female quilters who had never been to the continent of Africa to mentor and facilitate the making of quilts in partnership with young Ghanaian women. This included a visit to Ghana to mutually share strategies of empowerment. The author drew from her faith to complete this paper after the sudden death in May 2011 of her 27-year-old son, a high-school football coach. In conclusion, it really does take a whole village, thus I want to acknowledge and thank a number of special colleagues and friends. Of course and first, thank you to the authors who have shared their compelling professional and personal experiences so that others may learn from them. Second, thanks to Robert Weiss, MD and his wife, Serena, who gave me sanctuary while I wrote the introduction to this issue. Thanks to colleagues Phyllis Antwi, MD, Rev. Seth Ayettey, MD, Onike Rodrigues, MD, Nana Apt, MSW, PhD, and Edith Lewis, MSW, PhD and nurse Beatrice Addoh, acquisition Librarian Gifty Boarky, and Nii Sarpei Nunoon Cultural Affairs Specialist for Exchanges at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana. A shout out to friend Steven J. Phillips of the Society of African Missions maintained in Ghana since 2005, a heart wrenching and nail-biting set of inspiring narratives of personal challenges and accomplishments aiding in the resettlement of Liberian refugees, a humbling experience that truly exemplifies the intent of this special issue.) Special thanks to the Reflections team for all their diligent behind the scenes work to make the work of all of us authors come alive on each page.

Again, AKWAABA!

Turning Brain Drain into a Brain Gain

Posted on March 5, 2012 by James

By Dr. Sakui W. G. Malakpa

Malakpa, Sakui W. G. Prof. (2005). Turning brain drain into brain gain. Liberian Studies Journal, XXX (2), 29-39.

It has been postulated that a major impediment to Africa’s socio-economic development is the incessant flow of skilled human resources from the continent to the developed world (Nyikuli, 1999; Kigotho, 2002; Mutume, 2003). The contention is that this flow (referred to as the “brain drain”) depletes Africa of intellectuals/scholars, medical and health personnel, engineers, scientists, etc., who are needed to contribute to the development of the continent (Devan, & Tewari, 2001; Kigotho, 2002; Mutume, 2003). Some observers attribute this “drain” to several factors. For instance, it is alleged that the African intelligentsia are greedy gravy seekers who turn their backs on the countries that educated them although such countries need them (Shikwati, 2000; Malakpa, 2005). Other observers charge that brains flow out of Africa because developed countries are insensitive, callous, and rapacious in their bid to enhance their development further irrespective of how draining hurts the developing world. For example, some have accused Britain of poaching intellectuals and health workers from Africa. Still, other observers argue that sometimes (if not often), brains are not “drained” but “driven” by the developing world (Nyikuli, 1999; Shikwati, 2000; Tebeje, 2005; Malakpa, 2005). Whether Africa’s skilled human resources are “drained” by the developed world or “driven” by African countries, the truth remains that the departure of skilled human resources negatively affects socio-economic development in Africa (Nyikuli, 1999; Devan & Tewari, 2001). Based on this realization, it is necessary to discuss the extent of the brain drain problem and briefly touch on its causes. Furthermore, this work will cover the Liberian situation, first arguing that the “drain” is not a total loss. Additionally, this work will show howLiberiacan benefit from strategies and approaches employed in other places to turn the brain drain into a brain gain.

Magnitude of the Problem: Kigotho (2002) accentuates that the departure of skilled professionals from sub-Saharan Africa poses a serious concern because the loss of such persons to the developed world is a major threat to the region’s economic development. When this topic was discussed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa, it was disclosed that in less than twenty years, sub-Saharan Africa “lost a third of its skilled professionals and had to replace them with over 100,000 expatriates from the West at a cost of US$4 billion a year” (Kigotho, 2002, p1; Mutume, 2003). It was further disclosed that “between 1985 and 1990 Africa lost over 60,000 middle-level and high-level managers to Western economies. In addition, about 23,000 lecturers from African universities emigrate each year. The biggest migratory flows are from Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana in that order” (Kigotho 2002, p2). The flow of skilled professionals from Africa affects every sector of development. However, “The UN Development Programme (UNDP) notes that in Africa, the loss of medical doctors has been the most striking” (Mutume, 2003, p1). Along this line, Pang, Lansang, & Haines (2002) generally point out that “migration of medical professionals from developing countries has become a major concern. This brain drain worsens the already depleted healthcare resources in poor countries and widens the gap in health inequities worldwide” (p1).

As a result there is blood flow into the penile region gets hampered. buy levitra viagra Male enhancement supplement can only improve your sex life and satisfies your partner but no thrusting, and the last stage is now the djpaulkom.tv purchase generic viagra thrusting. More importantly, whether, you are buying generic meds from a web chemist then it has a natural gift also with cheapest viagra tablets it. Key ingredients in Night Fire capsules are the best herbal remedies for sexual weakness in men are past sexual trauma, tiredness, anxiety, cheapest tadalafil online stress, negative feelings, fear and depression. The constant flow of medical doctors and health personnel out of Africa is illustrated by the finding that, although health and medical needs are humongous in Africa, a third to one-half of graduates from South African medical schools emigrate to the developed world (Pan, Lansang, & Haines, 2002). Canada offers attractive salaries and benefits in a bid to hire a large number of these doctors. Consequently, South Africa strongly appealed to the government of Canada to desist from recruiting its medical professionals. South Africa’s concern and subsequent appeal were justified because, in Canada’s rural province of Saskatchewan alone, “more than 50 per cent of doctors are foreign trained and at least 1 in 5 of the 1,530 doctors there earned their first medical degree in South Africa“(Mutume, 2003, p5). In West Africa, “at least 60 per cent of doctors trained in Ghana during the 1980s have left the country” (Mutume, 2003, p1). In like manner, there are 22,000 Nigerian medical doctors in the US alone (UNCDF, 2005). The flight of health and medical personnel out of Africa is not limited to doctors alone. This is exemplified by the finding that 18000 Zimbabwean nurses seek employment abroad (Pan et al, 2002). In education, African schools continue to lose qualified teachers to the developed world(www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1173620.stm, 2001). However, this problem is not limited to primary and secondary schools. At the tertiary level, university professors, skilled researchers, and qualified staff members incessantly stream out of Africa for positions abroad (Shikwati, 2000; Nyikuli, Akpotu & Nwadiani, 2002). Likewise, in social work, the Zimbabwe National Association of Social Workers estimates that “1,500 of the country’s 3,000 trained social workers left for the UK during the last 10 years” (Mutume, 2003, p5).

Reasons for the Continuous Flight of Human Capital: Although brain drain is a major impediment to socio-economic development in Africa, this flow of skilled human resources continues because of a number of factors. For instance, as pointed out earlier, it is alleged that the African intelligentsia and skilled individuals leave the continent (as greedy gravy seekers) in search of greener pastures abroad (Kigotho, 2002; Malakpa, 2005). Other fingers point to governments of the developed world who poach developing countries of their skilled human resources. However, overwhelmingly, the literature attributes the success of brain drain to problems and poor conditions in developing countries. For example, it is contended that, “limited job opportunities and education facilities, a lower standard of living and security, and lack of professional recognition are among the factors that have caused many African workers, especially those with professional skills, to seek work outside the continent” (Nyikuli, 1999, p1). Referring to the departure of medical and health workers fromAfrica, Pang, Lansang, and Haines (2002) cite key causes such as “poor remuneration, bad working conditions, an oppressive political climate, persecution of intellectuals, and discrimination. Researchers cite lack of funding, poor facilities, limited career structures, and poor intellectual stimulation” (p499). Other personal reasons for skilled personnel emigrating fromAfricainclude “security, the threat of violence, and the wish to provide a good education for their children” (Pang et al, 2002, p.499).

While personal reasons for the flight of skilled human capital from Africa are always a consideration, such reasons seem to be outweighed by the fear, threat, or possibility of political persecution. For example, Amnesty International, a highly respected human rights organization, presents a 2001 annual report covering North Africa and the Middle-East to show that, gross human right violations took place throughout much of the Middle East and North Africa. They ranged from extrajudicial executions to widespread use of torture and unfair trials, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders. Freedom of expression and association continued to be curtailed; the climate of impunity remained and the victims were still awaiting steps to bring those responsible for past human rights violations to justice (Amnesty International Report, 2001, p2). The Amnesty International Report (2001) cites specific country examples from North Africa which are not much different (if at all) from other parts of Africa. In Algeria, the security forces enjoy impunity in the midst of violence and disappearances. Yet, no independent and impartial investigations are carried out to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. In Egypt, torturing occurs in police stations with people dying in prison under mysterious circumstances. Thousands of people are imprisoned under conditions which are tantamount to “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” (Amnesty International Report, 2001, p3). At the same time, human right defenders are targeted; they are harassed and legally restricted (Amnesty International Report).

The targeting of human right defenders has escalated in Tunisia where at least a thousand political prisoners (most of them prisoners of conscience) languish behind bars. Likewise, in Libya, hundreds of political prisoners are behind bars without charges or trials, and political prisoners are routinely tortured. In Morocco, there are arbitrary arrests and disappearances and yet, perpetrators are not brought to trial. There is constant violation of freedom of expression and consequent imprisonment of prisoners of conscience (Amnesty International Report, 2001).

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