CAN WE FIGHT POVERTY IN AFRICA?

The greatest challenge to Africa is the existence of Poverty on its Land, which has led to the continent being considered as the poorest in the world. The cause of the poverty could be traced from its colonial history. In the beginning of the century, the colonial leaders, namely Great Britain, Germany, Portugal and other Western countries deliberately met and designed the national boundaries of Africa's countries to cause unrest on the continent. Artificial boundaries were deliberately drawn that split allied ethnic groups, and groups rival groups together. This was done so that the colonial governments could maintain control. It's a classic case of "divide and conquer".

Unfortunately, when these nations gained independence, they maintained those old colonial lines, and you can see the results, most notably in places like Uganda, Nigeria, Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan and even here in Ghana. These ethnic and tribal distinctions run deep in Africa, and that leads directly to another major problem. Most Africans tend to relate more to their tribe than to their nation. Their "patriotism" is ethnically based, not state based. People might therefore consider themselves "Ashanti” before "Ghana", or "Hutu" before "Rwanda".

It is therefore no surprise that the national government is rife with corruption at all levels. People feel loyalty to their group and their region, so they act in what they perceive to be the best interests of that group over the whole of the country. They also are less likely to object to bribery, because they view their national position as a constructed entity instead of "their" country. The problem, of course, is when every official works under those guidelines, none of them win.

Another major problem in Africa is the AIDS epidemic, which has really grown out of control there. This is in part due to widespread religious beliefs against the use of contraception, and (paradoxically) a widespread disregard for marital fidelity and rampant underage sex. These governments cannot handle basic day-to-day matters, so it is little wonder that they have no answers for a problem of this magnitude either.

Finally, it should be mentioned that large areas of Africa frequently experience famine. Much of this is due to above-mentioned factors; civil wars lead to refugees without food, and corrupt governments waste aid resources. The real reason for starvation in Africa has nothing to do with food. The United States grows enough food to feed the entire population of the planet every year by itself, and that's despite the fact that they subsidize their farmers to not plant some of their fields to keep prices higher. The reason we have starvation in Africa is because the people in power in Africa make it that way.

There is no shortage of work to be done in Africa. There is no shortage of internal wealth, because Africa has untold wealth in resources that are being misused, mishandled, and misappropriated every day. The corrupt national governments are unstable, because nobody really believes in them, and because they were originally set up to be incapable of governing themselves as a matter of colonial policy. Is it any wonder that they fail? What is to be done?

One of two things must happen...neither of which is likely in the short term. The first possible solution is for Africans to set aside their old tribal differences and work together to build their nations. This will begin the process of ending corruption, which in turn will invite international investment. This investment will allow Africans to make better use of their natural resources, build their infrastructure, stabilize their currencies, and in short become a modern economy.

Sadly, this is unlikely. These ethnic divisions run deep and have for centuries. It's no more likely than expecting Ashanti's and Ewes to begin working together, or Palestinians and Israelis, or Iraqi Sunnis and Iraqi Shiites. These old hatreds run deep, it would take several generations committed to change to really end the cycle of hate.

The second possible solution would be a massive restructuring of the map of Africa. We'd need to start from scratch and make new national boundaries that more accurately reflected these groups and their real borders. But is it possible?

This is equally unlikely for several reasons. One is that the people in power in Africa are not going to simply stand aside and let someone tell them the country they were in charge of no longer exists. The other is that the international community, as embodied by the UN, would never risk the kind of short-term instability in the region, no matter what long-term advantages were expected. It is much more important for those in power to protect the status-quo.

In conclusion, to eradicate poverty in Ghana or Africa in general, I believe foreign donors and governments should appreciate and recognize diversity and cultural differences on the continent, and make sure any implemented policies aimed in fighting poverty should be agreed by all tribes on the continent.

Author: Paul Rex Danquah
East London
Development / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com