The Socio-Economic Impact of Skilled People Out-migration in Pemba: A Case of Wete District

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to investigate the socio-economic impacts of out-migration of skilled people in Pemba. It further examined the root courses of out-migration of skilled people, the socio-economic impacts and the intervening measures of this type of out-migration. The study was conducted in Pemba Island because for a long time it experienced the exodus of large numbers of skilled people, particularly to Zanzibar town, Tanzania Mainland and abroad where they have settled as Diaspora. The sample for the study was randomly selected, whereby 250 respondents from various shehias and 35 respondents from Chake-Chake town were selected from the place of origin. Further, the study sampled 80 respondents from Zanzibar town and Dar es Salaam city as areas of destination. The out-migration of skilled people in Pemba Island is caused by a big shortage of employment opportunities for skilled labour and other underlying courses such as chronic poverty, poor wages and low living standards, poor social services, lack of investment opportunities and infrastructure. This problem of skilled people out-migration in the Island has resulted into positive and negative socio-economic consequences, which include lack of skilled people and low investment opportunities compared to the area of destination. The positive impacts include the increase in educational awareness and submission of remittances to relatives remaining in the Island. The study recommends that immediate steps be taken to improve the infrastructure and social welfare of skilled people in the Island and create good investment conditions so as to minimize the exodus of skilled people.