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Sun, 15 Dec 2024 Feature Article

Why Most African Presidents Struggle To Fulfill Their Campaign Promises

A Manifesto PromiseA Manifesto Promise

African presidents often face significant challenges in fulfilling their campaign promises. While their intentions may be genuine, various factors contribute to the difficulty in delivering on these commitments.

Here are some of the key reasons why many African leaders struggle to meet their campaign pledges:

Economic Constraints
Limited Resources: Many African countries have limited financial resources, which can hinder the implementation of ambitious projects and programs. Economic constraints often force governments to prioritize immediate needs over long-term promises.

Debt Burden: High levels of national debt can restrict a government's ability to invest in development projects. Servicing debt obligations often takes precedence over fulfilling campaign promises.

Political Instability
Frequent Changes in Leadership: Political instability and frequent leadership changes can disrupt the continuity of policies and projects. New administrations may abandon or alter the plans of their predecessors, leading to unfulfilled promises.

Conflict and Violence: Internal conflicts and violence can divert resources and attention away from development initiatives. Governments may struggle to maintain stability, making it difficult to focus on campaign promises.

Corruption and Mismanagement
Corruption: Corruption is a significant issue in many African countries. Misappropriation of funds and resources intended for development projects can derail efforts to fulfill campaign promises.

Inefficiency: Bureaucratic inefficiencies and mismanagement can slow down the implementation of policies and projects. Delays and wastage of resources can prevent governments from delivering on their commitments.

Unrealistic Promises
Overambitious Goals: Politicians often make overambitious promises during campaigns to win votes. These promises may be unrealistic given the country's economic and political context.

Lack of Feasibility Studies: In some cases, campaign promises are made without thorough feasibility studies. This can lead to the announcement of projects that are not viable or sustainable in the long run.

External Influences
Dependency on Foreign Aid: Many African countries rely heavily on foreign aid and loans. Donor conditions and priorities may not always align with the government's campaign promises, leading to conflicts and delays in implementation.

Global Economic Factors: External economic factors, such as fluctuations in commodity prices and global financial crises, can impact a country's ability to fund and execute development projects.

Governance and Institutional Challenges
Weak Institutions: Weak governance structures and institutions can hinder the effective implementation of policies and projects. Strengthening institutions is crucial for ensuring accountability and transparency.

Policy Continuity: Ensuring policy continuity and coherence across different levels of government is essential for the successful implementation of campaign promises. Fragmented policies can lead to inefficiencies and unfulfilled commitments.

Conclusion
While African presidents may have the best intentions, various economic, political, and institutional challenges can impede their ability to fulfill campaign promises. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach, including strengthening governance, improving economic management, and fostering political stability. By tackling these challenges, African leaders can create an environment conducive to delivering on their commitments and driving sustainable development.

With additional information from CV News (Credible and Verified News), Edinah Nyakey, Dominic Prince Amenyenu, Samuel Goka, Eric Boadu, Hilarious Godsway Adifli, Dr. Albert Hagan, and Florence Hagan.

Victor Yao Nyakey
Victor Yao Nyakey, © 2024

Victor Yao Nyakey is a multifaceted professional. He is a teacher, education solutions/sales consultant, business developer, journalist, and travel consultant.. More He is a teacher, education solutions/sales consultant, business developer, journalist, and travel consultant. Victor is also active on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook, where he shares educational content, particularly in mathematics and analytical geometry.

Recently, he has been involved in discussions about Ghana's economic future, including the proposal for a 24-hour economy by former president John Dramani Mahama. Victor has written articles on this topic, exploring the potential benefits and challenges of such an economy for Ghana2.

Victor Yao Nyakey was a lead mathematics educator with the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Department of Education in South Africa. He also headed the Mathematics Department at Futura High School in Durban from 2011 to 2019. Victor is passionate about improving mathematics education and has written articles on strategies to enhance school math performance.

He is the Executive Editor at CV News. This global news network gathers and disseminates news and information to the public through various platforms such as television, radio, newspapers, and online websites.

He founded the defunct Edgewood Academy, Destiny Tuition Centre, Victory Learning Centre, and Victory Media Consult in Durban, South Africa.

Victor Nyakey is the proprietor of Rabboni Academy (formerly Thywill International School/St. Peter’s) at Tadzewu in Ghana.

He is the CEO of Olal Ghana Limited, Bathale Group Ghana, and Operations Director of Olal Group South Africa.

He worked with Teneo Education (Teneo School/ Teneo Online School) in South Africa providing education solutions and under the Ghana Education Service (GES) teaching Mathematics, English and Science.

He also worked with Western Publications (Publishers of Daily Guide, Ghana’s most popular and best-selling private newspaper), The Moment Newspaper, and Choice FM (now called Kasapa FM) in Ghana.

He is the Press Secretary for Goldstar Air, a wholly-owned yet-to-start-operation Ghanaian airline.

Victor Yao Nyakey is also the International Relations Director of DapsCnect, an innovative technology that helps potential travellers minimise up to 99% of errors in their big data.
Column: Victor Yao Nyakey

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