Government’s Anti-Labour Practices and Migration of Nigerian Health Care Professionals to the United Kingdom (Effect on Sustainable Development Goal 3 in Nigeria) (Published)
In recent years, the pervasive problem of excessive anti-labour practices by the Nigerian Government has given rise to a series of far-reaching consequences. Among these, a prominent outcome is the increasing emigration of highly skilled professionals from Nigeria to various corners of the globe. The relationship between governmental policies, labour practices, and the exodus of skilled workers emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive investigation and deeper understanding. This study investigated the Government’s anti-labour practices and the migration of healthcare professionals to the United Kingdom. The study adopted the documentary data collection method and employed qualitative descriptive analysis to analyze the secondary data. The theoretical framework of push-pull theory was adopted to explicate the issues above. The study found that the Government’s anti-labour practices, such as poor remuneration and poor enforcement of labour laws, have contributed to the increased migration of healthcare professionals to the United Kingdom. The study also discovered that this mass exodus of healthcare professionals hurts the health sector in Nigeria and has become a concern on how the country will meet the Sustainable Development Goal of providing good health and well-being for all in the year 2030. As a corollary of the above, this study recommends; Advocacy and implementation of comprehensive labour reforms in Nigeria, involving the revision of existing laws, constructive dialogue with stakeholders, and the strengthening of enforcement mechanisms to ensure fair working conditions, competitive wages, job security, and the protection of skilled professionals’ rights through monitoring and reporting mechanisms. To improve the “brain gain,” the Government should continue to step in and create an atmosphere that supports the success of healthcare professionals. To lessen the exodus of medical personnel, Nigerian governments at all levels should ensure that financial incentives are available to enhance the financial security of healthcare professionals. Raising wages, providing incentives, and ensuring that payments are made on schedule.
Keywords: Anti-labour practices, Migration, Nigeria, Sustainable Development Goal, United Kingdom, health care professionals