Ho-Ghana, May 28, GNA – Dr. Prince Kofi Kludjeson, Chairman of Kludjeson International Limited, has said the African Continent could become a major world economy with the introduction of transformational policies by its leaders.
He said the most resource endowed continent is witnessing “a lot of aggression” in recent times, especially with the dawn of the continental free trade, and said efforts at transforming its fortunes begun to show signs of bloom.
Dr Kludjeson who is also the President of regional advocacy organisation Volta Development Forum (VDF), was engaging with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the Africa Union Day celebration.
He said there existed a renewed mindset for transformation, and therefore African leaders should not allow their efforts to be dented with politics, but rather focus on cohesive elevation of the Continent.
“There is a lot of awareness being created and coming up as a result of the African continental free trade. Now the major issue of the African continental free trade is that everybody is trying to be whipped towards those directions. So therefore, the mindset of African transformation, it is giving way from talking about the old system and whole the whole problem, to what must be done and what should be done.
“So therefore, the new Africa as you can see coming up, there is a lot of aggression in Africa now-many many people coming to Africa to do this and that. So, I am very positive that the Africa Union, the change that our leaders have made, even though slow, is coming to be enlightening for Africa.
“Now, if you look at Ghana for instance, if you lift the veil from the politics, and then you focus on the ground, you will see a lot of change going on in Ghana. But the problem for Ghana for instance is that because we have the headquarters of the AfCFTA in Ghana, many people are positioning themselves to stay in Ghana and then work in other countries. So, you see a lot of real estate, if you look at the year of return, many people came.”
Dr. Kludjeson said the recent visit by the US Vice President was in recognition of the Continent’s rise and its play on world, adding that her call to develop technological capabilities should be heeded.
“In fact, she came here because of these programs. When she met the young ones at the black star square, what she told them about the future was, Africa, we should focus on technology – artificial intelligence, the fourth industrial revolution. Only about yesterday or two days ago, Dangote opened the up the biggest refinery in Nigeria.
“These things do not happen by accident. They are happening because there is a lot of thought going through as to how to transform Africa to be the positive continent that it must be,” he stated.
The renowned entrepreneur said the significant challenge to Africa’s facing remained the large population of 50 plus nations under a single hub, and that the development of its human resources should be the prime focus.
“So therefore, when the policies and the politics start to change and transform, Africa is going to be a great country in not too long – in the next ten years. If you know China, from Tiananmen Square to today, it is not that long. It was not changed because of natural resources or gold or diamond whatever. It was changed because of the youth knowledge and mindset of the people.
“So, I am very positive that the African Union, the way they are going – you know, there are other brilliant younger presidents joining like Rwanda, Zambia, and all of them who are now joining the African Union. This is how countries are changed. So, I am very positive of the African Union and for that matter the AfCFTA which is going to be the epitome of the transformation of Africa.”
Dr. Kludjeson called on Africans to focus on positivity and leveraging on technology, saying Africans continue to flourish on the international stage, and should seek a mindset change to enhance continental integration and development.
He also called for measures to ensure Africa’s development did not attract neo-colonialists and said equity laws and policies should be effective to enable significant ownership of the resources by natives.
