40% of Africans live below international standards- Veep

Accra, Sept. 25, GNA- Over 40 per cent of Africans live below the international standard of a dollar a day, while Africa gets only two per cent of world trade.

Vice President Alhaji Mahama, who made this known in Accra on Tuesday, said the continent was also overwhelmed by high illiteracy rate, low life expectancy, rising infant mortality rate, the threat of hunger and disease.

He was addressing the 2nd Daily Graphic Governance Dialogue in Accra, on the theme: "Accelerating Regional Integration for Wealth Creation and Sustainable Development," which has attracted a number of participants from Ghana and the West Africa Sub-Region. Vice President Mahama noted: "It is almost a case of water everywhere and not a drop to drink."

He said Africa had adequate natural, mineral and human resources and very learned and intelligent people but lacked sustained visionary leadership to better the lot of its people.

Vice President Mahama observed that the hallmark of governance revolved around the ability to mobilise, mediate and focus scarce social resources to meet the aspirations of the people as well as the weak and voiceless.

" People expect effective solutions to their immediate problems of poverty."

Vice President Mahama said in view of the vast array of knowledge and potentials on the Continent the major problem confronting the people was ineffective implementation of development programmes.

"If we had strong institutions, we could more easily overcome the challenge of accountability. If we had strong institutions, we could ensure better service delivery. If we had strong institutions, we could comfortably absorb and utilise extra support in aid and foreign investment.

"Indeed, if we had strong institutions, we could translate most of our laudable plans into actual jobs and goods and services for our people."

Vice President Mahama lauded Graphic Communications Group Limited for taking up the corporate social responsibility of initiating the dialogue.

" I want to recommend the boldness of the Group as an example to the Sub-Region," he said.

The overall objective of the dialogue was to provide a platform to highlight governance issues in Africa to help improve the quality of life of the people.

The two-day dialogue, which was divided into five plenary sessions, would tackle topics like: "Regional Economic Integration and Common Currency: Prospects and Challenges for West Africa and Making West Africa the Preferred Destination for Investment- The Road Map." 25 Sept. 07