CAN’T FELLOWS SUCCEED AT HOME?
BY: KORMI NOBERT GOODSMAN
Credit: BBC Focus on Africa
UNICEF Report 2016/17
When I heard of “slave trade” in Libya two years ago, to me, the rumor-mongers were at work; l was simply cynical to what I thought was their piece of scuttlebutt. But the development of the story with its testimonies and reportage made me pay some attention to it.
The search for greener pastures by the ordinary African has become perilous and gory in recent times. Friends and families who embark on journey abroad to seek better job opportunities have become victims of different forms of attack in the countries they visit. Recently, Libya, the once oil-rich country but now war-torn has become the hub of the trade. Migrants who arrive in Libya in transit to Italy and other countries in Europe are being sold in slave markets by their smugglers and traffickers, with many of them being held in detention centers in the desert country.
South Africa is equally boiling up now with its indigenes beating and killing their fellow blacks whom they say have come to take over their jobs. As dastardly as xenophobic attacks are, we should also start looking at these situations from a different perspective. Why do the average African youth prefer moving out of his country to make fortunes? Can’t they make life better for themselves in their various countries without risking their lives?
The perseverance with which the African youth works to see the ‘new face’ of the world–Europe, for me, if channeled homeward can help build their countries. Meanwhile, l do not intend to justify the brutalities meted to migrants in Libya, South Africa and other parts of the world. l am also not clueless to the ever deteriorating living conditions in the countries where these people run away from. But since the best way to prevent the hawk from attacking your chickens is to hide them and not to attack the hawk, it will be beneficial for us to look at the general problem of migration–its causes, perils and possible solutions to help save our friends and families.
Over the years, governments in Africa have failed terribly in their mandate to provide basic needs that can help make life comfortable for their people; most have become insensitive to the plights of their people. They do not care whether or not their people can afford a meal, pay their children’s school fees, attend to their health needs and ride on good roads.
Invariably, the failures of these governments do not happen in a vacuum. They come against the backdrop of myriad of problems: firstly, excessive borrowing; Most African governments including Ghana have become beggars. They are always strolling the corridors of the International Monetary Fund (lMF) and the World Bank with a bowl in hand. Meanwhile, it is common knowledge that loans and other reliefs granted by these financial institutions and sometimes countries, do not come on silver platter; they come with conditions attached. In most situations, the conditions are like a suicide rope! So countries although sovereign, become no more than slaves; they tremble at every cough of their financiers and shriek at the least pull of the rope around their neck, until it has completely tighten it, then, they are declared dead –highly indebted! At this point, the death of a mother– country, will see her children –citizens, scattered abroad.That is the beginning and the end of those countries in Africa that rely heavily on foreign aid for their development.
The conditions attached to grants and loans given us, either demand an exchange of the gold, oil and other natural resources, or compulsory supply of skilled labour from where these facilities were procured to execute the project, so that, in effect, paying their workers will be tantamount to paying back their monies in disguise, even before the payday.
The next factor responsible for the mess on the continent is bad policy plans; most policy plans are either ill-conceived or poorly implemented. They do not aim at addressing the basic needs of the citizenry; therefore, the so much tauted achievements of most governments are misplaced priorities. For instance, two years ago, Kenyans had a month-long mockery of their President, Uhuru Kenyatta, on social media for what they described as ‘wasting everybody’s time’ when he went to commission a footbridge in Mombasa. They clearly did not see the need for a footbridge. To them, they deserve more than that.
Another factor driving our friends and relatives from home is the wide-spread corruption in their countries. Is it not annoying to see government appointees busily stashing away taxpayers’ money into their foreign bank accounts while you starve? So if you hear of a land flowing with milk and honey, won’t you go?
The issue of corruption and bad governance become worse under despots. Long-serving leaders in Africa have grown leopard skins over time. They are hardly penetrated by complaints of their people; they block their ears against all criticisms. As far as they are concerned, no other person is competent enough to rule their countries except themselves. Just look at Yowerri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda; he has done thirty-three years at the presidency, but still praying to God not to lead him into temptation of stepping down! Mugabe would have died president if not for that smooth intervention by the military! The sad aspect of despotism is that, the citizens become fed up even if the government tries to deliver; they are just tired of seeing the same face on their television for ages!
But for how long shall we despair, especially when seeking better conditions outside our home have become such a bloody adventure as it is now in South Africa? Seriously speaking, our governments cannot also be less concerned about treatments meted to their people trying to reach the ‘smiling’ shores of Europe in Libya.
Recently, Libya has earned for itself, the shocking reputation as the epicenter of abuse against migrants. Forms of abuse vary from beating to rape. According to a UNICEF report: 180,000 migrants crossed from Libya to Italy in 2016 alone, of which 26,000 of them were children mostly unaccompanied. These were included in their report titled: “A Deadly Journey For Children”.
Subsequently, more boats capsize everyday on the Mediterranean due to bad weather, killing hundreds of people. But painfully enough, those who survive the sea gale still suffer violence and sexual abuse in the hands of their smugglers and traffickers. Countries with the most victims are Nigeria, The Gambia, Niger, Ghana, Sierra Leone etc.
Honestly it is high time we reversed poor economic conditions to encourage our young men and women to stay home. Let us create the needed atmosphere for economic take-off; this will undoubtedly lead to maximum relief for the average Ghanaian. To achieve this, conscious efforts must be made to strengthen the local economy and the individuals at this level. Funds should be made available to small-scale businesses to promote individual initiative.
In the area of education, the talks of improving technical education must be walked. Technical education must be enhanced considerably to churn out competent architects, painters, carpenters and others for the industry. Do you know that, even the ‘slave markets’ in Libya use skills to determine the value of their slaves? According to the Chief of Mission for International Organization for Migration (IOM), Othman Belbeisi, migrants who are sold into slavery found themselves priced according to their abilities. ‘The price is definitely different depending on your qualification. For example, if you can do painting or tiles or specialized work, then the price gets higher’ he disclosed to the BBC.
Now, if even slaves are priced according to their skills, why couldn’t we add value to them back home where they were free men?
Another sure way to discourage our brothers and sisters from deserting their countries is to educate them on the dangers associated with the journey. The false impression created in their minds that, it is all milk and honey flowing there in Europe must be defeated.
However, l would like to encourage my brothers and sisters in the impoverished parts of the continent to be resilient and keep pushing. They should not fall prey to ‘honeyed’ talks of greener pastures beyond the horizon. In fact, days when access to the so-called greener pastures was hustle-free had long passed. Indeed all countries in Africa have fertile soil, and the grass can be greener everywhere.
Let us save our lives in our different countries, remain focus and contribute our widow’s mite to our country’s development. However, I urge calm in South Africa too.
Africa Global News Publication
