Resource Abundance: Is It A Curse Or A Blessing?

Nature has not distributed her resources equally as some countries are naturally endowed with resources whereas others are not. African countries abound in resources such as gold, diamond, crude oil, vast lands inter alia. Examples of such countries include; South Africa, Ghana, DR. Congo, Nigeria, Angola, Rwanda etc. Generally, resources are needed to bring about development and as a result, every country with or without resources need them to develop.

Resources however, are not; they become (Zimmermann, 1951). The mere having of resources does not mean development will automatically take place. Development will be stagnant if these resources are not put into effective and efficient use by our leaders. It is therefore not uncommon to see a country with abundant resources but its people wallow in abject poverty. On the contrary however, some countries including Japan and Malaysia do not have such resources but are rich when it comes to development. This has generated a lot of debate amongst students, academics and development experts as to whether having resources are a curse rather than a blessing.

Evidence in some countries across Africa show that having resources is a curse. For instance, most people in Yenagoa-a village in Nigeria’s oil rich Delta region live in mud huts. They reside only a few feet away from the oil wells. But they lack electricity and in-door toilets. They have no hospitals, no running water and no schools. And there is unemployment too (African Agenda, 2006, vol.9.no.4 page 5). Also, the oil spills in such mining fields often cause havoc to farmlands and properties rendering the people not only homeless but prone to diseases.

In addition, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the richest countries in the world. Experts have estimated that the Congo basin alone can produce enough food crops to satisfy the requirements of nearly half the population of the whole world (Obeng, 1997, vol.5, page 34).This potential wealth however, contrasts sharply with the extreme poverty of the people of this country. According to some statistics, an average Congolese earns an annual income of less than US$100. State revenue represents less than US$ 1billion for a country whose population is about 60million with a land area of 2, 243,000 square kilometers (African Agenda, 2006, vol.9.no.3, page 12). From this, it is clear that the natural resources of this country benefit neither the state nor the local communities. On the contrary, they seem even to become a sort of curse because of the repeated war situations they engender and the political and economic instability they create for this country (African Agenda, 2006, vol.9, no.3, page 12).

Ghana’s situation is not different. The production of cocoa has given way to mineral production. The regular blasting activities of Newmont Ahafo have resulted in cracks in a number of houses at Dormaa in Kenyasi No. 2 and Habitat in Kenyasi No. 1. It is now difficult for students to acquire scholarships from the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board (GCMB) since the cocoa farms which were evidence to acquire scholarships are no more as the land is now being used for mining activities. This has given rise to poverty in the area (African Agenda, 2006, vol.9, no.3, page 14).

Further, the story of other African countries is not too different from those mentioned above. That is the more reason why the recent discovery of oil in Ghana does not excite some people. Others have made it clear that, if the discovery of oil in Ghana will become a curse on the people then, it should be allowed to stay on the ground. In his address to the Parliament of Ghana, President Obama said, the African continent is rich in natural resources and that there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and bio-fuels. From the Rift valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coasts to South Africa’s crops-Africa’s boundless gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad. He told Ghanaians in particular about the fact that oil brings great opportunities, and that, Ghanaians have been responsible in preparing for a new revenue but that, oil simply can not become the new cocoa ( Daily Graphic, 13th July, 2009). This is because, “dependence on commodities-or a single export has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few, and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns”.

Why is it that some countries like Japan and Malaysia have few natural resources but are highly developed? Why is the United States of America rich in resources and highly developed? African countries have the resources yet very poor when it comes to development, why? Japan for instance is one of the seven (7) most industrialized nations of the world even though it is a mountainous country with only 16% of the land cultivable.

In my view, education is the secret of the developed world. Without education, no matter the resources of a country, its people will remain backward till the end of time. It is therefore imperative for our leaders to invest in the education of our children. In most African countries, our educational systems are not only confused but do not equip us for industry. In Ghana in particular, our politicians keep on reforming our educational system year after year but end up sending their children to the best schools in the West.

Development according to President Obama depends on good governance and that is the ingredient that has been missing in Africa for many years. “Each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own tradition. Governments that respect the will of their own people, are more prosperous and successful than those that do not….No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves-or if the police can be bought off by drug traffickers-No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy that is tyranny” (Daily Graphic, 13th July, 2009, page 9).

Now is the time to put an end to the numerous wars and conflicts in Africa. African children are crying for development and Africa can only come out of poverty if we put an end to the wars and conflicts. Researchers at the International Rescue Committee, a US-based aid agency that has chartered the impact of DR. Congo’s war, say 1,000 people continue to die every day, mostly from hunger and disease, on-top of the 4million that have died since the last war began in 1998 ( BBC Focus on Africa, 2006, vol.17, no.2, page 15).

I would like to conclude by quoting the words of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah that, “the resources are there. It is for us to marshal them in the active service of our people. Unless we do this by our concerted efforts, within the framework of our combined planning, we shall not progress at the tempo demanded by today’s events and the mood of our people. The symptoms of our troubles will grow, and the troubles themselves become chronic. It will then be too late even for Pan African Unity to secure for us stability and tranquility in our labours for a continent of social justice and material well-being”.

Francis Xavier Tuokuu, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 59, Legon-Accra (fxtuokuu@yahoo.com)