Jul 26, 2012 at 6:23pm

The former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo says Africa must firmly control its natural resources since the Western countries are seeking to hugely benefit from the resources the continent is endowed with.

According to him, the situation where raw materials are sold only for Africans to import the finished products deprives the continent of wealth.

He said, “we own these natural resources but we have to control them and we have to add value.”

Mr. Obasanjo noted that it is time Africa focused on processing its raw materials to provide employment opportunities to its people saying, “the case where people come here, take our commodities be it mineral or agricultural produce and add value to it and then send it back to us at three four times the price they bought from us, deprives us of employment generation and wealth creation as well.”

He therefore admonished both African leaders and its people to do more to develop the continent and rid it of poverty.


By: Citifmonline.com/Ghana