Unlocking human resources

(Baonghean) - Nghe An is a province with rich potential for development, but after 30 years of reform, the goal of building Nghe An into a prosperous and strong province as President Ho Chi Minh always wished has not yet been achieved. Maximizing its potential remains a difficult challenge for Nghe An.

Contributing opinions on education and healthcare development at the 4th Provincial Party Committee Meeting, 18th term.

Among Nghe An's potentials, its human potential is the most valuable asset. The people of Nghe An are hardworking, intelligent, and renowned nationwide for their revolutionary spirit and tradition of studiousness. Historically, Nghe An has produced many famous figures and national heroes. In contemporary life, Nghe An boasts many talented individuals in various fields.

When mentioning Nghe An, many people comment that it is truly a place of "exceptional people and auspicious land." But how have the people of Nghe An been utilized in the current process of building and developing their homeland? Answering this question cannot simply stop at boasting about the qualities of the people of Nghe An; a concrete measure is needed to quantify the human resources in the development process.

During his recent visit to Nghe An, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc assessed that human potential is the province's most valuable asset. But why has Nghe An still not kept pace with the national average in terms of development?

Nghe An is facing several "bottlenecks" in transportation infrastructure, such as a lack of deep-water seaports and strategic roads connecting the region... And there is a very significant "bottleneck" in Nghe An that only those directly involved can truly understand: the "bottleneck" in exploiting human resources.

When discussing Nghe An's human resources, the first thing to mention is its strength as a densely populated province. Nghe An's population ranks fourth in the country (after Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Thanh Hoa), comparable to many small countries around the world.

For economic development, a large population is a crucial factor. Many countries around the world have successfully leveraged this strength, most notably China. Nghe An province, however, has not yet recognized its large population as an advantage; in fact, it is becoming a burden. There are unusual phenomena in Nghe An that indicate a failure to fully utilize the strengths of a densely populated province.

Nghe An's market is bustling with customers, but everything is difficult to sell due to the limited purchasing power of the local population. This greatly hinders the development of goods production. Fairs, supermarkets, and modern shopping centers have sprung up in Nghe An, but there are more onlookers than buyers.

Many forms of cultural and recreational activities that attract tourists in other localities are surprisingly deserted in Nghe An. This is not because the cultural needs of the people of Nghe An are lower, but rather because the people's financial situation is still poor.

Western Nghe An has enormous land potential, but the majority of its population remains impoverished because they lack the skills to become wealthy. Nghe An also ranks first in the country in the number of people working abroad and as laborers outside the province... This shows that Nghe An's large population has not been fully utilized.

Nghe An has a tradition of academic excellence and many talented people; that's an undeniable fact. However, how Nghe An's talents are utilized within their homeland is another matter. Many people observe that while many Nghe An natives achieve success and fame elsewhere, it is difficult for them to thrive within the province.

There are very successful entrepreneurs from Nghe An in other provinces, while it is very difficult for them to do business in their hometown. Developing the human resources of Nghe An first means leveraging the intelligence of its people in the marketplace. In the 30 years of reform, how many valuable initiatives from Nghe An have been implemented?

What are the creative achievements of the people of Nghe An that have left a mark on the process of building their homeland? How have Nghe An intellectuals enriched their homeland? The province has repeatedly issued policies to attract talent, but why are talented people still so rare to find in Nghe An?

How can we effectively harness Nghe An's human resources? It's time to consider this issue thoroughly and seriously. We cannot lull ourselves into complacency with the notion of "human potential" while a populous province renowned for its many talented individuals remains perpetually poor. Based on my own observations, I offer the following two suggestions:

Firstly, the province must boldly innovate to create practical and open policies that provide opportunities for the people of Nghe An to prosper. We cannot allow the people of Phu Quy to remain poor on tens of thousands of hectares of fertile basalt red soil. We cannot allow tens of thousands of young people from Nghe An to leave their homeland to earn a living and improve their lives. Nghe An is implementing many large-scale economic development projects; these projects cannot impoverish the people through land expropriation and job losses. The people's strength will achieve everything; without it, nothing will succeed.

Secondly, we need to review why the province's talent attraction policy hasn't yielded the desired results. Nghe An has no shortage of talented people, but they are elsewhere instead of returning to live and work in their hometown. Many academically gifted and talented students face numerous difficulties when applying for high-quality human resource attraction programs. Many highly skilled Nghe An intellectuals working in central government agencies or other cities express a strong desire to contribute to their homeland, but fear facing significant obstacles upon their return. Failing to attract talented people from Nghe An means that the province's human resources are being wasted.

Human resources are the decisive factor in developing the province's resources. Only by unlocking human resources can other resources be effectively utilized. This is not just a matter of policy, but must be the most sincere commitment of every provincial leader.

Tran Hong Co