The Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has asked African leaders to desist from being over-reliance on foreigners for commodities.
John Dramani Mahama called on African Leaders to push for self-reliance for key strategic commodities and supplies such as rice, tomatoes, as well as onions.
The former President made these remarks while speaking at the 24th African Business Conference organized by the Harvard Business School.
According to Mahama It is such a shame that Africa continues to import these commodities when Africa has favourable conditions to produce them.
John Dramani Mahama also suggested that Africa must work to achieve absolute control of trade and processing of natural resources.
“We must push for self-reliance for key strategic commodities and supplies such as rice, tomatoes, onions, and vegetable oil for which we have comparative advantage. It is such a shame that Africa continues to import these commodities when we have favourable conditions to produce them.”
”Africa must take greater control of the trade and processing of its natural resources like cocoa, and the minerals and build stronger capacity to respond to global energy shocks stemming out of situations such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”
“Many African countries, including Ghana have reached debt distressed levels with debt to GDP ratio ranging between 70% and 80%.”
”I am advocating for a reconstitution of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative to offer our countries some fiscal space to make investments in critical states such as education and health,” John Dramani Mahama noted.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu
