[ 2014-02-03 ]

Prof George Ayittey

Want to be rich in Africa? Go into politics or government
Victoria Hammah, a former Deputy Minister of
Communication in Ghana, said on tape that she went
into government to make money.

Her goal was to have $1 million in her bank
account when she left office. She was sacked in
November 2013.

A Ghanaian minister must have a government
bungalow, a 4x4 SUV, a saloon car, drivers, a
cook, a gardener, a day watchman, a night
watchman, a security guard – all at taxpayers’
expense. Then insist that at the end of their
service, the bungalow must be sold to them at
firesale price with a loan from the same
government.

A Nigerian Senator takes home a cool $2 million in
salary and emoluments – from furniture to even
latrine allowance.

Tanzanian MPs, who already make $119,200, voted
for themselves a $98,000 end of service gratuity.
TZ’s budget is 40 percent aid financed.

Kenya’s MPs get an annual salary of $120,000.
Add emoluments and allowances and it exceeds
$200,000 – Obama’s salary.

Kenya’s MPs claim that Nairobi’s roads are so
bad that when they travel on them, their bottoms
shake small. So they want a “rough road
allowance.”

In the so-called “primitive and backward”
Africa, there are rich merchants, market women,
farmers, transport owners who got rich the
old-fashioned way: Through their own hard work,
ingenuity and entrepreneurship.

It is not the backwardness of its people but the
intellectual backwardness of the ruling elites
that keeps Africa in economic backwater.

The problem, however, has been the ENABLERS:
Naïve and foolish Western donors, who, burdened
with guilt over the iniquities of colonialism and
slave trade, don’t realize they are being DUPED.
They regard Africa’s unrepentant kleptocrats as
“development partners” and give them aid
money.

The aid money is then looted. Ivory Coast (2003),
Uganda (2013), Malawi (2013).

Coconut anti-corruption commissions are set that
are instantly shut down when they sniff too close
to the fat cats: Kenya (2005), Nigeria (2006),
South Africa (2007), Zambia (2009).

Promises are made to get tough. Then aid is
resumed and the cycle begins anew: Another round
of Looting – Suspension – Investigation –
Promises — Resumption.

Lunacy is defined as doing the same foolish thing
over and over again and expecting the same
results.

Source - Prof George Ayittey

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