The Improvement in The Living Standard of The People in Africa

Development, conceptualized as qualitative improvement in the living standard of the people is measured in the variability of basic necessities like food, water, shelter, other social amenities as well as sophisticated and vibrant institutions and structures of the states.

The indices of development and more are not yet available insufficiency in Africa upon independence the emergent states sought to no avail for development. The reason was that the likes of President Arap Moi tend to believe that Africa is doomed to perpetual poverty and background”.

The report of world economic forum (2001) on Africa also echoed the problems associated with African development. It noted that it’s a mixture of economic and political news in Africa. Whereas Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzanian, and Uganda leads the list of countries making adjustments to their economic potentials, so as to attract foreign investment the likes of Liberia, Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, leads a great pack of others still married in conflict that they may simply be qualified as “Failed States.”

African’s have come alive in this millennium became confronted with the question of seeking a solution to the African development malaise. The opinion of the world economic forum panelists comprising William Rhodes, Jeffrey Sachs, Alec Erwin, Reginald Menji, Mostapha there should be a working relationship between the private and public sectors. Willian Rhodes held in particular that the problem with African economics is that the private sector is not aware of the advances being made in Africa. William Rhodes is also the vice chairman Citi group, USA. In the same way, Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Centre for International Development at Harvard Univesity, U.S.A. while trying to rate African economies drew attention to Zimbabwe, as a good example of how politics can destroy the economy. He advised that the solution to African under-development will come from improvement in the political situations improvement come to countries in the political breakthrough---- he argued.

Olusegun Obasanjo one of the pioneer leaders and brains behind the New Partnership for Africa’ Development Initiative (NEPAD) believes that the initiatives remain the best solution to Africa development problem. The Nigeria leader held that the NEPAD programme is the engine of growth for Africa’s economy and development. He was quite optimistic that NEPAD is a programme of Africa Union (A.U) to resolve all the problems of Africa in politic, social and economics. It is a collective vision of Africans and their leaders to ensure development in Africa as well as make contributions to global wealth.

Steve Egbo also wrote NEPAD is generally seen as true African initiative borne out of genuine desire to move the African continent away from the encumbrances and implements of her past. He added that the NEPAD is believed to be motivated by a new spirit of growth and development whose aim is to usher in development problem. The Nigeria new dawn for an African continent that has been in perpetual darkness for thousands of years.

Crusoe Osagie was as well optimistic that NEPAD will eradicate poverty in Africa. And place African countries both individual and collected on a path of sustainable growth and development, such that it will halt the marginalization of Africa in the globalization process. He noted in particular that the formulation of the NEPAD action is one of the most important developments of recent times in Africa. He hopes that it places African at the apex of the global agenda.

In an attempt to down up support for the NEPAD programme, the Zambia leader Levy Mwanawasa asked business leaders in Africa to board the NEPAD train and not wait to be invited abroad. He was particularly mindful of the fact that Africans are tired of rhetoric from their leaders and wanted ordinary people could identify with.

African leaders as well endorsed the NEPAD programme at the African Economic summit held in Durban South Africa, the leaders reinstated the already well-known position that NEPAD is a programme to uplift Africa and provide African solutions to African problems. As well the summit of O.A.U. head of states and government in Lusaka Zambia while adopting the NEPAD action plan in declaration 1 (xxxii), was very optimistic since NEPAD has become Africa’s principals agenda for development and providing a holistic, comprehensive integrated strategies framework for the socio-economic development of the continent within the institutional framework of African Union (A.U).

In a message delivered through Ibrahim Gambari the head of United Nations (UN) office for NEPAD, the UN Secretary General Koffi Annan told NEPAD Business group meeting held in Abuja (Nigeria) that the UN General Assembly accepted NEPAD as a framework for achieving support for the development of Africa.