Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmed Satomi, has warned that Africa’s continued reliance on foreign powers will not lead to the continent’s salvation.

The lawmaker urged African nations to chart a path of self-reliance anchored on their vast human and natural resources.

Satomi stated this during the gala night of the Network’s 8th Conference of the Network of African Parliamentarians for Defence and Security Committees in Abuja where he was elected President of the network for a two year tenure.

He stressed the need for Africa to act with one voice, confront its challenges boldly, and take full control of its development trajectory.

According to him, issues such as terrorism, food insecurity, youth unemployment, and weak industrial capacity will remain if African leaders continue to look outward for solutions.

“We have to delete the notion, the thinking that we can’t do without the West’s influence. Africa is one of the best continents in the globe. There is no reason for anyone to be poor. We have everything it takes as a continent to stand on our peaks,” he said

Satomi lamented that 90 per cent of goods consumed on the continent are imported from Europe, Asia, or other regions, a situation he described as a lingering consequence of colonisation.

Referencing Africa’s rising population and resource wealth, the lawmaker said, “The GDP of Africa is expected to increase to about 4.1, which is higher than the predicted 3.2 by the world. Sub-Saharan African growth is projected to reach up to 3.5% in 2025 and further appreciate up to 4.3 in 2027.”

“It will interest you to know the projected increase of about 740 million people within the age of population by 2050. Then, 12 million youths enter the labor market every year. But the challenge is that only 3 million new formal jobs are currently created annually.-

Satomi said the security-development nexus must be urgently addressed, noting that peace and progress are inseparable.

“Without security there is no peace. Without peace there is no development. And what Africa needs now is development,” he said.

Reiterating the need for a coordinated African voice in tackling shared challenges, Satomi pledged to leverage his new position to strengthen continental unity. “As the new president of this network, one of the cardinal things I want to do first with you together is the sharing of information and making communication so easy so that we will be discussing issues affecting one another to provide solutions to our continent,” he said.

He also highlighted statistics showing that 120 million Africans face acute food insecurity, with 80 per cent of those affected living in conflict-ridden areas.

He urged parliamentarians to enact forward-looking legislation and advocate policies that reflect Africa’s realities and future.

“Despite the challenges we have of our independence by the executive, if we are diplomatic enough, we can send messages to where our world is to go. We will enact laws that will be used by Africa, by Africa, to have an Africa of our choice.

“Africa is expected to be the second fastest growing region globally, with East Africa projected to be the most buoyant region. The African continent free trade area presents a transformative opportunity to accelerate trade, fleet integration, and development,” he said.