Africa will remain enslaved unless resources are industrialised — Nana Kwame Bediako

Nana Kwame Bediako, an independent presidential candidate in Ghana's 2024 elections, has noted that Africa will continue to be dependent on the West unless countries on the continent learn to industrialise their resources.

Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM on Wednesday, April 10, he said Africa will be "forever enslaved" if it does not transform its resources from raw materials into finished goods.

"Until Africans decide to learn how to industrialise their own products they will be forever enslaved," Bediako said.

He noted that successful economies process their raw materials locally rather than exporting them in their natural state.

"Every country that is successful in the world, you have to make sure that your resources are refined," Bediako stated.

The leader of the New Force movement argued that as long as Africa primarily exports commodities like cocoa, gold and oil, it will remain dependent on other regions that turn the raw resources into finished products.

The businessman warned that dependence on exporting raw materials leaves African economies vulnerable to the volatility in international prices and the cyclical boom-bust nature of commodity markets.

His comments come as many nations on the continent still struggle to develop strong manufacturing sectors and derive greater value from locally-mined minerals and other resources through processing and refinement.

Advocates of industrialisation argued that it was vital for long-term economic autonomy and development by creating stable and skilled jobs for nations to benefit fully.