Africa as an afterthought in Obama’s last State of the Union Address.

On January 12 2016, I rushed from school to my little apartment. Barack Obama, the first African-American president in the history of the United States was due to deliver his final State of the Union (SOTU) address and I was eager to hear what he has to say and how he will sum up his historical presidency and his legacy. I know Obama to have a way with words, his amazing oratory skills and his ability to connect with and charm his audience was one of the things I admired most about him. Africa’s half-son is a role model; an inspiration to the many dreamers of the world and I felt blessed to have lived to see history made. I was seated in my couch at 8:30pm even though I knew the address was set for 9pm Eastern Time. I had a cup of orange juice and some sugar-free biscuits next to me, I was not getting up for anything. Even if it is 1% of his genetic makeup, Barack Obama is a son of the African continent. He was born to a Black Kenyan man and a white American lady. He knew his roots to the African continent, he had visited there as an adult and written about in his books. He had also demonstrated a love for the continent and its people. As a Ghanaian, I felt specially loved by the gentleman; my country Ghana was the first African country he visited as president and, as usual, he delivered a memorable speech during that visit. Africa is important to him and his government, he may not have mentioned Africa much in his previous SOTU addresses but surely he will in his last one, and it will be  positive and pleasant too. Surely he will tell the world how much Africa is changing for the better and how bright the future of the continent is, right? For the next hour or so, I was moved very close to tears; Africa was relegated to the backburner- AGAIN!!

I understand the SOTU, in name, is supposed to focus on domestic interests and the president’s decisions on and reactions to them. However, to make an hour long speech on the state of America today and not make enough time to comment on America’s role in the world is frankly, short of applause and praise. President Obama referred to the entire continent and the many undertakings America is and was involved in on the continent in about four or so sentences and even that was limited to how America is helping combat disease and starvation. The deepening democracy in Ghana, Botswana and Tanzania and the restoration of democratic rule in Burkina Faso were all ignored. I expected the president to sum up everything that has been done under his tenure but I feel like he focused the speech on begging Americans to vote another Democrat into the White House to protect the Affordable Care Act and the rest of his policies which, in fact, embody his legacy. I expected more from Obama in his tenure, unfortunately, the threat of terrorism to the United States and a "hostile" congress compelled him to focus on protecting his homeland- as any president must do as a primary duty- and constantly wrestling with the Republican Party to reach workable compromises. However, although I find this action valid and relevant, It still hurts to ponder and recollect how little Africa has featured in SOTU address under President Obama. Recently, the United States has been sending a number of former Guantanamo Bay detainees to African countries as part of efforts to shut down the facility, does Obama not know this or did he simply forget? Are these African countries, with their less advanced technological capacity and porous security and widespread illiteracy and poverty not make for a fertile ground for radicalization and extremism? How is America keeping tabs of these former detainees?  Isn’t this worth mentioning in the SOTU address? But hey, Obama did not even touch on the 10 American sailors detained in Iran, how much more Africa, right? The question is, will Africa continue to be at the backburner of America’s foreign policy or will things change? Only time will tell.

 

 

               

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA: THE CRIPPLING PROBLEM WITHIN.

          For well over 50 years Ghana has been battling with the issue of development. Nearly six decades after independence the West African country is still wallowing in the widespread poverty, limited human capital development, low GDP and fluctuating economic growth rates that characterize many developing countries. Admittedly, some laudable progress has been made; economic growth has been generally slow but steady and our current democratic dispensation is one of the best in the developing world. So how come Ghana is not achieving the rapid economic growth and development that we think it deserves? Well, for starters we may not “deserve” it. Sad…? Yes, but true; Ghana has not achieved the rapid development it desires because we have not yet done all of what it necessary to generate and sustain that. Question Ghanaians about what they think is being done wrong in our bid to develop and will be maniacally bewildered by the blame game you will be confronted with. Supernatural beings, destiny, corruption and incompetence in the government, the president…Ghanaians blame it on everything and everyone but themselves. In an effort to subdue my biases and access the problem with objective lenses, I looked beyond the “human” face of the problem and delved deeper down to find out what the root cause(s) of our development woes might be and I believe I have a clue. Ghana’s shortcomings with development is not a curse or even a human problem; it is an institution problem. Yes, institutions; the backbone of a prosperous society, the lifeblood of social, political and economic advancement. Institutions, the systems of social regulation without which human interactions are random, irregular and unreliable and development is nothing but a byproduct of interactions rather than a goal that is set, pursued and achieved. Without institutions human actions are erratic and purposeful planning and action is drowned in a whirlpool of conflicting interests, contradictory aims and clashing principles. The case of Ghana is an interesting but not unique one in that our development is stifled not by our lack of institutions but by their presence. This may sound ironic and contradictory but before you jump to a hasty conclusion, please close your ears and let your mind listen. 

               I attribute Ghana’s underdevelopment to the existence (and persistence) of institutions which, despite proving to be ineffective, porous and open to abuse, have been allowed to remain broken as they are and are being sheltered and shielded by the corrupt personnel who work on, with, through and under them. Take our judicial system for instance. The slow pace of arraignment, adjudication and sentencing has left many people on unnecessarily long periods of remand and created a lengthy backlog of pending cases. It has become a “custom” to pay (A bribe) for an early hearing to avoid a lengthy stay on remand. To have the case ruled in your favor, you have to follow the “tradition” and pay more, sometimes even when your party is innocent because a bribe from your opponents could have the blame shifted and dropped on your unsuspecting head. In recent times Ghana’s judicial system has been exposed for the rotten, corruption riddled institution it is. First it was the commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) being exposed for living in an expensive hotel for about 3 years at the states expense while her official residence was supposedly being renovated. Then the ace investigator, the omnipresent Anas Aremeyaw Anas, exposed a number of judges for taking bribes to tamper with justice. In both cases, no sentences have been passed as I write, yet the general public seems to be only minimally interested in holding the alleged lawbreakers accountable.  With regards to the "judgesgate" incident , some form of punishment has been meted out but as to whether it is enough deterrence remains debatable. As one may guess, ministers and other government officials are not left out of the “wonky3 ndi” (loot and share) phenomena. Ghana’s history is full of ministers and government appointees who have misappropriated or embezzled funds as well as a handful who have successfully absconded with wads of the Ghanaian taxpayer’s money of which very few are ever prosecuted and or sentenced. Of the top of my head I can only recollect the names of a few people who were sentenced for any of these charges in our current republic. Many politicians, political appointees, and public officials have been exposed for the rot they engage in and/or condone but the actual charging, prosecution and sentencing have been pitifully scarce.  It has now become a trend that once you are exposed for anything from conspiracy to commit, willfully committing or aiding and abetting any form of unacceptable financial loss, all you have to do is  pay the money back and/or resign from your post and all is forgotten and presumed forgiven. Evidence of this abound in cases like “Woyogate” and its connected cases as well as the very recent bus branding brouhaha. From long before the fabled Cotton Wood saga to date, Ghana has failed to block the holes in its national institutions which serve as siphoning avenues for unscrupulous persons, thus allowing for the rape of the system.

A look at our tax system brings me close to tears. Millions in tax revenue is lost annually to dubious, unregulated under-dealings in our wide, shadowy black market and yet we see little to no attempt to rectify this. Countless businesses evade tax, and many more people evade levies like property taxes and various license costs. Our governments appear to rely on the integrity of we the people when it comes to revenue mobilization and, rather sadly, the average Ghanaian has zero concern for where the government gets revenue as long as it is not from his or her pocket…or wallet…or purse…or bank account…or…you know what I mean. Quite recently, Ghanaians were up in arms against TV license fees with some threatening death if anyone attempts to collect them. Many cited the poor quality of TV programs (mainly on state-owned GTV) for their anger and the truth is the broadcast is poor and it is the result of inefficiencies resulting from the lack of effective and efficient institutions. The laws we have made and continue to make in the country only work when the occasionally law-abiding citizens choose to obey them. There is a weak system of law enforcement and many people tend to turn a blind eye to inappropriate behavior for various reasons. The legal and law enforcement institutions themselves are weakly institutionalized, poorly equipped, overburdened with cases (some of which are needlessly rescheduled) and generally discouraged and demoralized from being diligent and law-abiding. In a system where integrity is less revered and blatant lies are tolerated as propaganda and “politics”, and rewards seem to flow to the loudest speaker irrespective of the veracity and how civil and decorous their utterances are, our institutions have been corrupted and the incorruptible are slowly squeezed out of place. Cliché as it may sound, Ghana has “institutionalized corruption”, the kind that is undesired by the people but tolerated all the same because it “speeds things up” and because the institutions do not work (well) even the attempts to combat the corruption menace get frustrated.

The underlying reason for Ghana’s lack of well-structured, functioning institutions is itself tied to our lack of well-structure functioning institutions; it is a cycle of inefficiency and ineffectiveness. The very laws on which our country was and is being built were and are not suitable for development. Our constitution gives the executive arm of government extensive powers with very little limitations and systems of holding it accountable. The powers of the president are generalized rather than specific and detailed and the process of exercising them are largely left to the discretion of the president. Successive constitutions of our dear country have failed to clearly outline what our goals as a nation are and how we can pursue and achieve them and we keep making the same mistakes in our everyday decisions as a sovereign nation. The present 1992 Constitution does not set any binding political or economic goals that governments  must endeavor to achieve neither does is establish, mandate or otherwise empower any institution to validly do so. Ghana needs a detailed development plan based on a careful study of our economy and its strengths and weaknesses and governments must be held accountable if they fail to achieve them. This system of accountability should go beyond periodic elections to include impeachment, prosecution and the powers of recall and imperative mandate over elected officials. By “recall” I mean voters should have the power to strip any elected official (excluding the president) off his or her position if need be while “imperative mandate” will empower the people to transmit their preferences and grievances to parliament through their elected representatives.

There are a multiplicity of national agencies and organizations with overlapping and sometimes conflicting functions and powers which need managing. The duplicity of government agencies is wasteful and counterproductive given on many levels; rather than pooling expertise for proper planning and implementation, it dismembers the planning process since expertise is dispersed across many poorly coordinated agencies. We make up solutions as we go and we never seem to either learn from our past mistakes or rectify them because doing both will require reforms in the institutional structures of which we, as a nation, appear to be averse. Having a single state agency performing a specific function allows for better supervision and effective coordination with other agencies which in turn promotes efficiency. State institutions would be more efficient if specific functions were given to specific agencies with no duplicates so that workers are actually paid for their work and agencies are focused on their assigned tasks for which they are solely responsible and accountable to the people. Speaking in the Parliament of Ghana in 2009, President Barack Obama reiterated that Ghana needs “strong institutions” and not “strong men”. We need laws, agencies and bureaucratic structures that command compliance, integrity and efficiency if we are to develop as a nation. If we do not get our institutions prepped and ready to work for our common good, any amount of resources committed to them will yield benefits far below potential due to wastage, corruption and inefficiency.  Admittedly, we are all quick to criticize and condemn unwanted behaviors (especially from political opponents) but we let it end there. We ought to demand fair punishment for crime and misconduct especially among elected officials and employees of government agencies. Ghanaians should cultivate the habit of following through calls for action and demanding and supporting the overhaul of our institutions.
Ghanaians ought to be more active in holding our governments accountable to us. We ought to ask questions and demand honest, convincing answers from our elected leaders and shun the partisan and tribal politics that blind us to the damaging consequences of having an unchecked government. It saddens me to hear and read of the many potentials Ghana has to develop and yet not be able to live up to and to see that we the people are not doing much to direct, support and demand of successive governments to pursue these potentials make it worse. Ghanaians seem inured to the failures of our country; we are not adequately focused on developing ourselves and our beloved country through commitment, honesty, probity and accountability, hard work and dedication.

 

 

   ADDRESSING GHANA’S ENERGY CRISIS- THE FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS

          The costly spate of Ghana’s protracted energy crisis has been a hot topic in both formal and informal public fora for a while now. Rather recently, the Yvonne Nelson led #dumsormuststop campaign, the accompanied “dumsor vigil” and the list of entertainment stars and politicians/public officials who continue to debate and discuss it has made the topic even more controversial and contested. Just the otherday I saw a comment on twitter that the word “Dumsor”- literally meaning “off-and-on”- was on Wikipedia. I was curious enough to look it up and true to the tweet it was there, live and colored hooting a loud “shh-aaaaame” to all Ghanaians (feel free to look it up too). But amidst all this ruckus, I see Ghanaians loosing focus of what I believe should and ought to be the main goal of these needlessly politicized discussions. What I have noted is that, whereas the discussion of the economy crippling, business crumbling and livelihood distorting effects of Ghana’s energy crisis is over-subscribed and passionately debated in all circles of the country, discussions on the search for lasting solutions and workable proposals are barely discussed. Ghanaians seem to be so engrossed in unnecessary, partisan politics and blame game that we have, as far as I can see, not dedicated enough time and effort to looking for feasible ways of solving such a pressing national problem or, at least, discussing feasible solutions in a unified, mature and decorous manner. The little problem –solving discussions that I am aware of have generated options all of which are “possible solutions” but many of which are either far-fetched or simply over-ambitious.

          I have discussed possible solutions to dumsor with a good number of my friends (both Ghanaian and otherwise) and the opinions have been quite interesting. But I will cut to the chase and delve into why some options are more feasible than others and why others are “outliers”. My opinions are defined by Ghana’s current economic standing, the current level of technological development and resource management and the projected impacts of the various energy options on the environment, pocket and people of Ghana. Overall, 4 main options are on the table; nuclear energy, hydro-electricity, petroleum/gas/coal powered thermal energy, solar power and wind power. Each one of these options is a laudable alternative, but when it comes to cost, management and environmental impact, some of them lose their feasibility in the face of the specific demands and peculiar situation of Ghana. Let’s analyze each option.

          First, nuclear energy. To be honest, I find this option laughable. It works for countries like the United States and China but certainly not for Ghana. Yes, Ghana’s demand for electricity keeps growing at a very rapid rate but we are still very far from the need for nuclear energy.  Ghana’s future energy demands, as far as I can see, do not require nuclear plants and energy. For one thing, nuclear plants are very expensive to build, stock, manage and maintain, costs that our lower-middle income country can barely afford and definitely cannot sustain. Nuclear powered states like the USA and China spend millions of dollars each year to keep nuclear reactors and plants operating at safe, well controlled levels, I honestly do not think Ghana can afford such high costs now or anytime in the near future. That aside, nuclear energy comes with some serious environmental and public safety concerns. Consider the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters and their life-altering impacts on Russia and Japan…did that joggle your memory? What about the lives lost and the millions spent and lost in containing and halting the spread of the nuclear contamination…and the fact that vast areas remain contaminated and uninhabitable? Ghana is simply not in the position to either finance nuclear plants, guarantee the safety of the environment and the public or bear the cost of combating radiation in case disaster strikes.

         A nuclear reactor can be a nearly uncontrollable, destructive force if not properly and safely monitored and maintained. Preventing nuclear disasters require immense knowledge and skill in nuclear reaction and nuclear energy production, expensive maintenance, and a whole lot of technology, technical know-how and management skills that Ghana, at its current technological and economic level, does not possess and may not possess anytime soon. This means, choosing nuclear energy will require that the country hires foreign nuclear experts to run or at least oversee our nuclear energy production not to mention the huge cost of nuclear reactor plants. Anyone with a minimum understanding of the concepts of economics, public safety and national security will tell you this is a recipe for disaster.  That said, nuclear energy for Ghana now and in the near future is a BIG NO, NO.

          Next, hydro-electricity, the premier energy source for Ghanaians. Since the completion of the Akosombo dam in 1952, energy generation in Ghana has become almost synonymous with hydro-electricity. The Akosombo hydro-electric dam has served Ghanaians for decades and will continue to do so for a long, long time more. Hydro-electricity is not too dear because the most important input, water, is freely provided by Mother Nature. Once a country clears the costly hurdle of constructing the dam and installing the countless machines, the maintenance and management aspect becomes a breeze, as long as there is enough water, hydro-power will flow (pun intended). But droughts, lower rainfall and delayed rains are natural possibilities that threaten hydro-power production. All water bodies flow from and to somewhere and are unhindered by the artificial boundaries of countries. This means a single water body can be dammed in several places drastically reducing the flow of water downstream and limiting power generation.  It will therefore be unwise for Ghana to bank its hopes of a steady supply of electricity on hydro-electric power. As was evident in years 2007 and 2008, delayed/ reduced rainfall and drought can have a debilitating on the supply of hydro-electric power in Ghana so our solutions to the dumsor problem must be one that avoids or at least overcomes these challenges.

            As far as I can see, the best solution to Ghana’s energy crises is solar power. Yes, that nearly insatiable supply of radioactive energy from the sun is Ghana’s best bet at ensuring a steady and reliable energy supply while minimizing economic and environmental costs. Ghana, especially Northern Ghana, has a massive supply of sunlight that can be harnessed for power generation.  With ample sunshine almost all year round, Ghana has the potential to be make good savings on energy generation and supply by relying on solar power and cutting down on hydro and thermal electricity. I honestly cannot comprehend why such a move has been so long in coming when the past holds evidence of some usage of solar energy. I remember seeing solar panels on payphones across the country as far back as the early 2000s. Yet, about a decade on and we still do not seem to have much faith in the power of the sun to the extent that successive governments would rather talk about gas pipelines and thermal plants and barely pay heed let alone make financial and political commitments to solar power.

The sun is expected to keep burning for billions of years more, offering centuries of free, reliable and stable energy supply. It is time Ghana joins in harnessing solar power to solve our pressing and crushing energy crises and its devastating and prolonged negative effects on productivity, employment and development in Ghana. Countries like Greece, Peru and South Africa have joined leading economies like Sweden, USA and Germany in developing their solar power capacities and Ghana has no excuse not to closely explore the possibilities and benefits and follow suit. From North to south, East to West nowhere in our beautiful, tropical country is sunshine lacking. There are vast lands all across the country where solar farms can be established to produce high volumes of power for the country. For instance a solar farm anywhere in the three Northern regions (and even in Brong- Ahafo) can provide electricity to many, many people in these regions so that the Akosombo dam (And perhaps the Bui dam too) will only serve the densely populated regions in the South and their high energy demand.

When it comes to energy production and supply, Ghana is better off having a production and supply capacity over and above present demand because the need for electricity will only keep growing. This means the country must be able to plan for the geometric increases in future NOW so that this dumsor problem does not happen ever again. I read from an October 26, 2015 post on myjoyonline.com that after months of “hide and seek” the one of two power barges that are to arrive from Turkey to help alleviate Ghana’s energy crises is finally set to set sail and arrive in the country in 2 to 3 weeks. The combined output of the two power barges-which are to run on petroleum fuel- stand at an estimate of about 1300 megawatts. As far as I am concerned, this is not a cost effective measure and it has been necessitated by years of lack of planning on our energy supply. I do not claim to know the “true” cost of this transaction but former head of the Volta Rive Authority (VRA), energy expert Dr. Wereko Brobbey is reported to have pegged it at US$100 million excluding added cost of maintaining and fueling them for however long they will be in use. But my elementary economics and limited common sense tells me that Ghana will be far better off finding a lasting, sustainable solution to this problem than massaging it and making such wrongful spending decisions. Dr Wereko Brobbey is reported on myjoyonline.com to have said that the power barges may have been necessary back in 2013-2014 when the energy crises was at its peak but given that the mechanical problems that hindered production in the Akosombo and Bui power stations are now reported to have been resolved there is no need to spend such a huge amount on a temporary measure. We ought to be planning ahead not providing short-term management solution to problems that can be effectively solved. US$100 million is enough to begin the establishment of a solar farm anywhere in the country why are we not doing that?

But the blame is not all on our leaders and political heads, we the consumers are at fault too. The government is spending millions of dollars subsidizing a utility that is in short supply and any attempts to reduce the cost burden of the government through increased utility tariffs is met with resistance from a population spoiled by years of paying tariffs at below the market price even though we generally exhibit apathy to energy conservation and many are still illegally connected to the national grid. The truth is that the government needs money to finance better energy supply and Ghanaians ought to pay (Fully that is) for energy consumed. As to whether or not the supply is stable and reliable should not factor in the tariff because you pay for what you use and pay nothing if there is no supply. The “We will pay only if supply improves” is nothing but a pitiful, childish way of defending an unpatriotic position that impoverishes our nation. But guess what, politicians are afraid to lose votes and so are eager to bend to the whims and caprices of the masses to satisfy their short term needs instead of looking to the economic, social and political rewards of having a well-structured and highly productive nation. More efficient and cost effective power supply will help lower tariffs and save the nation money, thus appeasing both sides of the debate but that cannot possibly be done without planning and making the right choices for our dear nation.  

Cliché as it may sound, the possibilities of a Ghana that relies on solar power for much of its energy supply is endless; reliable and sustainable supply of power, lower tariffs, reduced environmental pollution and degradation, and reduced cost to the government and consumers among many others. I hope President Mahama returns from the India-Africa Summit in New Delhi ready to act on his promise to join in India’s green energy project after lauding it and virtually pledging to sign our nation up. I also hope this post will awaken decision makers to the benefits of a solar-powered economy and inform them to formulate and implement policies for its implementation and maintenance. #enddumsor.  

 

      

 

               ON STEREOTYPES IN GHANA

Growing up in my native Ghana, I would have never thought myself as subscribing to stereotypes and divisive, ethnocentric misconceptions. I grew up priding myself as one of the hospitable, accommodating and friendly people Ghanaians generally are. However, after being enlightened on the topics of racism, ethnocentrism and stereotypes, I have had a rude awakening.

      My dear Ghanaians, I am afraid we are not as open-minded and friendly and hospitable as we think. Outwardly, Ghanaians are generally friendly to all, but what about our perceptions of people whose race, nationality and ethnicity differ from ours? We may smile, joke and play with all people but do we really think of them as our equals? My analysis of my own life and that of others tells me the answer is anything but a definite yes.
     
        Oftentimes, Ghanaians think, act and speak along ethnic lines without even realizing that they are subscribing to certain stereotypes. The Ghanaian society reinforces and transmits stereotypes from one generation to another (sometimes unconsciously), perpetuating erroneous, divisive and derogatory misconceptions and negative perceptions of others. This system of negative cultural transmission is so disguised, widespread and yet so strong that it goes on virtually unchecked and children grow up subscribing to it without being able to tell stereotypes from facts. I remember when I was growing up in my small town of Abesim ( a small town near Sunyani in Ghana’s Brong Ahafo Region) ) we the children thought all whites spoke English and all whites understood us when we spoke gibberish like “Arish rish kontomire” which, to be honest, I still have no idea what it means. We would follow non-blacks singing “broni kokor maakye, yaa fichiri gongon” (Good morning whiteman/woman…). Come to think of it, we were being ignorant racists.  By our teenage years, family and friends had indoctrinated us to expect certain behaviors and actions from certain ethnic groups and nationalities. We were warned not to marry or befriend members of certain ethnic groups and nationalities. For every single stereotype one might make in Ghana, people will readily mention ethnic groups and nationalities that “bear” those stereotypes. To a large extent, stereotypes have become a vital means by which Ghanaians perceive and address problems. Generally, the names of people betray their nationality and/or ethnicity which in turn open the doors for to the various stereotypes associated with particular ethnic groups. What this means is that people almost immediately subject themselves to their prejudices and begin to judge people and expect certain behaviors from them. Ghanaians have a catalogue of “what to expect from…” lists based on which they relate with others, including their fellow Ghanaians so even before the first meeting or interaction, these sets of “what to expect” are prepped and ready to be employed and our perceptions of others are shaped and furnished even before we have met them.

If one should ask Ghanaians to categorize jobs and occupations according to ethnicity, he or she would be shocked at how menial, blue collar jobs like head porters (kayayo/kayayee), security, farm laborer etc. are commonly attributed to people from Northern Ghana while white collar jobs are commonly attributed to Southerners. The reality is far from so, but the common perceptions and ethnocentric mentalities support these biased opinions and to a near-justifiable point. This is because the stereotypes are so widespread and entrenched that they are almost truisms and people subscribe and transmit them, sometimes unconsciously, without even questioning their veracity. Similarly, Ghanaians attribute certain lifestyles and attitudes to certain ethnicities and nationalities. One ethnic group in Ghana is wrongfully portrayed as a juju/voodoo tribe, another is portrayed as being lazy, another as being largely uneducated, and yet another as a group of uneducated, pompous, cheats. When it comes to nationalities, a particular country is overwhelmingly (albeit wrongfully) infamous for fraud and armed robbery while the francophone nations are stereotyped for prostitution.

I used to subscribe to these stereotypes until the recent past, but now I know better; I have come to understand that stereotypes are mental prisons that jail our minds and blind us to the advantages of having a multi-faceted and diverse society. Ghana is a land of peace and love, we pride ourselves as being hospitable and I do not disagree to that. However, our hospitality and acceptance of others is a mere façade if we do not let that openness and welcoming attitude extend to our way of thinking and our perceptions of ourselves and others. How genuine can our love for others be if we think ourselves more important and superior to them? It will mean our approach to them will be a mere cosmetic arraignment; a window dressing designed to fool those outside while we are engulfed by the flames of ethnocentrism and racism that burn within. Ghana was built on the foundations of freedom and justice, peace and love, please let’s make it a home for all.

 

          

       

    AFRO-XENOPHOBIA: THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA

          It is with much lamentation that I write this. My heart has been shattered by the inhuman, horrendous and totally unnecessary violent attacks on foreigners-black foreigners-in South Africa. My sympathies go out to all victims and their families, and on the attackers and their supporters I wish a change of heart, justice and punishment.  In my opinion, these murderous acts are not “xenophobic” in the sense of the word because they are NOT targeted at ALL foreigners. Rather, they are targeted at “BLACK AFRICANS”. The Caucasian and Asian population are not being victimized and persecuted, at least not to the extent or on the scale of Black, African immigrants. This is why I labeled the case “AFRO-XENOPHOBIA” which I define as “an excessive hatred of black African expatriates”. This is not the first time Afro-Xenophobia has reared its ugly head in the “Rainbow nation”. There were similar attacks in Cape Town in 2006, Johannesburg in 2008, and as recently as last year and January, 2015 according to Human Rights Watch. When I heard of the recent attacks, I felt compelled to begin an earnest search for the factors that fuelled such atrocities. Information I have gathered through the media alleges that the attacks were triggered by a speech from Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini in which he is quoted as saying foreigners “should pack their bags and go” because they are stealing jobs from citizens. Other sources i.e. The United Nations, say the attacks follow labor disputes between citizens and migrant workers. I believe both sources are right though only partly. Being the curious analyst I am, I have taken time to analyze the situation in search for answers to the baffling question “WHY?” Here is what I have unearthed.

First of all, South Africa has a high rate of unemployment (about 24%) and even higher among black South Africans. Independence in 1994 and the subsequent reconciliatory efforts of the late icon Nelson “MADIBA” Mandela opened the doors of a fledging and prosperous nation to the world and people were attracted to the vibrant economy, the comparatively higher standards of living and the new opportunities. Others, like refugees from Somalia and Eritrea sought safety from violent conflict back home. Currently, South Africa’s migrant population is about 2 million, approximately 4% of the population, adding to a rapidly rising population, high poverty rate, high crime rate and rising unemployment. This has created widespread frustrations with the Zuma administration and its alleged incompetence in handling the country’s immigration and economic policies. With such pent up frustrations and anger comes the tendency for the people to vent their anger on those whom they perceive as the cause of their woes, in the case of South Africa, that was the migrant population.

Until it ceded its position to Nigeria in 2014, South Africa had long been the largest economy in Africa, riding on the back of rich mineral deposits like gold and platinum as well as a fledging manufacturing industry and ever expanding service sector. Unfortunately, this laudable economic growth created vast economic inequalities as postulated by the Nelson Mandela Foundation among others. This inequality coupled with the huge influx of people from other African countries and from Asia- notably Bangladesh and Pakistan - put added pressures on native black South Africans who have historically had low literacy rates and therefore could not find well-paying high-level jobs. To make matters worse, these poor, uneducated South African lower class also lost out to immigrants in the informal business sector as well. As an owner of a “spaza” (a small store) reported to BBC, unlike the locals, foreigners form self-help groups and pool funds to buy goods in bulk and at cheaper prices, creating a revolving fund with which they expanded and sustained their small individual businesses. Similarly, skilled and well educated migrants flooded the job market and began establishing themselves in the middle class because the bulk of South Africa’s black population is not very highly educated. This has created a long standing and deep resentment for foreigners among some locals, all it takes are few fiery words and divisive rhetoric to fuel violent xenophobic attacks.

          But then, why aren’t non-blacks attacked on similarly violent and large scale? The answer lies I South Africa’s political history. Following independence in 1994 and years of reconciliation led by Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africans have come to recognize and accept white and Asian South Africans as fellow citizens. The inter-relations that forged a multi-racial citizenry has almost totally eliminated the perceived racial differences that exist among black, white and Asian South Africans. Overtime, this coexistence has made it almost impossible to distinguish non-black South Africans from Caucasian and Asian tourists and immigrants. In fact, the South Africans have devised an informal identification system which distinguishes among immigrants. It might surprise you to know that in South Africa, black African immigrants are called “Africans” while all others are simply “expats” and while the general resentment is greater towards “Africans” the “expats” are better tolerated. Thus, many South Africans subconsciously have a greater affinity and tolerance for non-black migrants than for Africans.

          Moreover, this same multi-racial nationality of South Africa has put the country in what I call a “continental-identity crisis”. Many South Africans do not “fully” identify with the country’s continental affiliation. To many, South Africa is a “globe-state” of diverse cultural, racial and national backgrounds which just happens to be on the Southern tip of Africa.  Admittedly, South Africa’s position makes it difficult to engage with other African countries, especially those in West Central Africa.  And given that migrants from these areas pose the greatest competition for the menial, low-end jobs that many black South Africans seek, it is not very surprising that they are accused of and victimized for snatching jobs from the locals. With rising unemployment and poverty, native South Africans are running out of jobs and are now demanding the positions of foreigners, especially those in the blue collar sector who are-you guessed it- overwhelmingly African.

          I find it rather troubling that an illiterate local will attack a migrant doctor, teacher or nurse for snatching his job but that is what the historical, cultural and dire economic situations have degenerated a few South Africans to- murderous hooligans hiding behind culture and ultra-nationalism to feed their jealousy and resentment. For a country that endured the pains of apartheid, it is heart-wrenching that South Africa is home to such horrendous crimes against humanity. The blood of the innocent victims call for justice and I stand with them with mine.

#STOPXENOPHOBIA.