Actor John Dumelo Ghallywood actor, John Dumelo has advised African Presidents and various leaders within the continent of Africa to focus on making Africa an agricultural continent which will stop us from begging for food. The actor and the 2016 general election campaigner for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), took to his Twitter handle yesterday observing the African Union day by a post to all leaders of Africa.
Accra road Today, May 25, 2018, happens to be the celebration of African Union Day (AU) and as usual, it would be characterized by long and epic speeches without proper measures taken to ensure the growth and development of the continent. Africa, upon its rich resources, is still behind the western world in terms of development and wealth creation–a problem that has been attributed to its greedy and self-centered leaders.
President Mahama 25th May, annually, is African Union day, the day for the celebration of the gains the continental body, and the continent, has presumably made across the past year. We can’t speak for the rest of Africa, but down here in Ghana, we can identify with rising tariffs, erratic power, and public corruption, which our President believes does not exist.
Today is AU day; hurray! We’re supposed to celebrate our liberation from the yoke of the white man and look to the future with optimism, or something like that.
Yet you might discover that no one seems to be in any mood to celebrate anything. Thankfully, no one is making a big deal of it on television so I don’t have to feel any more disgust than I’m already feeling.
So on this special day, it seems emblematic that Ghana and Nigeria, brethren in so many ways, are facing very huge challenges that threaten every plans and aspirations to creating healthy economies and subsequently a fitting standard of living for citizens. It is worth noting that we’re certainly two of the biggest and notable economies on the continent, certainly the two biggest in ECOWAS.
So how do these two continental behemoths enter African Union Day? Ghana is grappling with the worst power crisis in her history. I’m sure I do not have to lecture anyone on dumsor and its effects, on virtually every aspect of the economy; and the incompetence it requires to have left it running for three years and counting. That is old news.
What is fresh news though, is that Nigeria is facing an unprecedented fuel shortage that has led to airlines stopping operations and crippled businesses. It also has the butterfly effect of affecting gas supply through the West African Gas pipeline, leading to a ripple effect that affects Ghana and worsens our own crisis.
“Nigeria produces more than two million barrels of petroleum a DAY but imports refined fuel because it does not have enough functioning refineries” This fact, which I read online yesterday, sums up everything that is wrong with Africa and why we have centuries to get to the level where we can have the lives the vast amount of resources we command deserve.
