"Power-Hungry Leaders Controlling Africa, Hindering Economic Progress": Ex-Presidents Speak Up

• Former President John Mahama has expressed concern over underdevelopment in Africa
• Speaking at an event in Lagos, the former president of Botswana, Dr Seretse Khama, and Mahama said Africa lacks selfless leaders to make the continent a force to reckon with
• The presidents, however, harped on the necessity for African leaders to have good leadership and political stability

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Lagos state - The former presidents of Ghana, John Mahama and his Botswana counterpart, Lt. Gen. Seretse Ian Khama, have called on African leaders to consciously pursue unity and progress in the region so that the continent can reach its full potential and achieve sustainable economic prosperity.

Ex-Presidents, Mahama, Khama task African leaders

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The two notable leaders made this call over the weekend in Lagos at the second edition of the African Heritage Awards.

Their clamour for unity and progress came in the wake of political instability that has wrecked parts of Africa and has seen a number of countries slip into military rule.

Speaking during a strategic Panel Session themed ‘Shaping Africa’s Path To Prosperity’, Mahama strongly noted that the youthful population of Africa is fast growing, thus, leaders must “move in a fast pace” to provide citizens with the dividends of democracy towards achieving self-reliance.

In a statement made available to Legit.ng on Monday, April 15, Mahama who was honored with the African Advancement Award for Exemplary Leadership at the event, said African countries can foster international cooperation by removing certain encumbrances like Visa restrictions, which he said is slowing down economic prosperity across the continent.

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“There’s more money leaving the African continent than money coming in. All the loans, donations and grants take more monies out of Africa than what comes in. In Africa, we should not need a visa to travel from Ethiopia to Ghana,” he said.

Similarly, Khama, who was chairman of the event, regretted that despite the huge amount of human and natural resources domiciled in Africa, the continent has not transited into economic prosperity. He blamed corruption and bad leadership for the drawbacks.

He explained that as a poli­tician, he knew that a lot of the continent’s challenges and insta­bility were caused by some selfish politicians.

Speaking further, he, however, observed that those politicians who failed to put the interests and needs of their people first were a cause for backwardness on the continent.

“Time to decentralise Nigeria”, Soyinka says

In related news, Legit.ng reported that Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka said Nigeria needs to be decentralised for the people to enjoy the country more.

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Soyinka said the country should follow the path of breaking up if that would solve the country’s challenges.

The elder statesman said decentralisation would allow governance to get closer to the people.

Source: Legit.ng