The Chief Executive Officer of Popular US-based Global African Platform, iloveafrica.com, Mrs. Precious Obadara, has warned against the Africa’s continued dependence on foreign aid rather than developing its human resources.
She spoke on the importance of funding and developing human resources in Africa, especially the youths, which she said are the primary strength of African Nations.
Obadara said a nation without active and prosperous youths is like a tree without fruits.
She stressed that Africa must stop depending on foreign organisations like for help and daily bread for the people, noting that when the youths are empowered they will help to support the young and old in their lives.
According to her, to eradicate poverty in Africa, youths must be empowered, adding: “These are the group of people who can be supportive to both the young and old members of their families financially. This is because the old ones are not strong enough to fend for themselves and neither can the children actively do the same. So, when African youths are incapacitated, the old people in their families and the children get to suffer along with them.
“Choosing not to empower the youths will continuously bring about a rise in crime and poverty in the African community, our youths are the strength of our society and the future of our lands.
“We often focus on educating the youths without providing any means for the youths to survive in the absence of Education.”
She continued: “Not every family can afford a university education for the youths.
“Many struggling families who can’t send their kids to university after secondary school education depends on these kids to somehow learn skills to help fend for their families. In most cases, these youths are left on the streets to struggle in any way they can.
“As a result of this, some youths end up choosing the path of crime due to desperation, hunger and continuous search for livelihood, thereby constituting nuisance in the society.
“Everyone cannot depend on Employment. Statistics have shown that the amount of unemployed university graduates in Africa is alarming, the government has to step in and empower the youths in other to get rid of the disturbing crime and poverty rates.
“Educational Systems in Africa only teaches theoretical aspects of our fields of study, with little or no practice. They teach us to define what a fish is, and how to identify a fish but not how to catch a fish. In other words, a graduate of petroleum engineering is not able to drill oil, only foreign expatriates are employed to do so. Our Educational system in Africa is useless to our youths.”
She said youth empowerment initiatives are the right step towards achieving a solution that will bring an end to the numerous problems people are facing.
Obadara said charged all African governments, non-governmental organisations, wealthy Africans, foreign companies and businesses benefiting from Africa, philanthropists and donors to associate themselves with this initiative that will bring about positive change in Africa through the youth empowerment initiative.
She also called on them to show support for the Albino community and Albinism discrimination awareness programmes as well as charity fundraising concerts across the continent regarding all their initiatives, especially on the importance of skills acquisition.
