There is mismatch between natural resources endowment and development in Africa. Substantiate this statement.

Africa is endowed with a rich diversity some of terrestrial and aquatic resources are found among countries specific while others transcend national boundaries of two or more countries within the region such as forest, mineral, water bodies, land, wide life, natural and historical features. Apart from having these entire resources still the development of Africa is poor it can be due to lower per capital income among countries, higher illiterate rate, diseases infections and natural calamities lower life expectancy and food insecurity.

As a consequence, it is evident that in some geographical areas, natural resources are still sustainably utilized, while in others there is evidence of under utilization of environmental resources form the corner-stone of socio-economic development, and that the nature and characteristics of the environment are ultimately limiting factors for Africa development

Lack of accountability

The present gender division of labor at the household level is predominantly a reflection of the colonial capitalist mode of production (Rodney 1980). Generally men, women and children work on the farm and take care of the livestock with some degree of specialization Over and above these activities, women, with the assistance of children, are responsible for all the domestic chores. At the end of the day, women are more involved in food preparation and cash crops as well as livestock production processes than men.

Poor policy implementation on agricultural produces

Agriculture in the semi-arid areas is characteristically subsistence oriented (Nwankwo, 1990). Food crops are sold and bought within the village markets. The favorite staple food, maize, is also a cash crop which may be sold soon after harvest and rebought just before the next sowing season as household food reserves run down. Before economic liberalization, that is pre-SAPs, maize was sold to the state organization. Thereafter, the crop has enjoyed an assured market in spite of institutional malfunctioning. The findings reveal that, first, state marketing institutions (e.g. NMC, TCA) failed to buy their crops in good time, and even worse have underpaid for them. Now, under market-driven globalization, the farmers have completely lost the usual outlets for their traditional cash crops. The present free market system has introduced the village market to unreliable crop buyers including consumer co-operative societies, saving and credit societies, and private entrepreneurs. The field findings show that the government has almost always left the peasants in the hands of businessmen under the umbrella of economic liberalization. Following from this the farmers have dropped the production of traditional export crops, like cotton and sunflowers, and intensified the production of the ecologically delicate commodity of maize, which enjoys demand in local, national and international free markets.

Impacts of neo-colonialism

Western nations obviously take direct control of the African economy and political administration in order to produce the type of food required for their industrial workers back home. One of the reasons for the colonization of Africa as we know is that the colonialists required additional food supply and spices for the fast increasing urban population as a result of the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution initially came with decline in agricultural production in Europe and as a result it was hard for the rural areas to produce enough food for the increasing urban population. There was therefore the need for market not only for the population of raw materials but for the food to sustain the increasing population. The colonialists used a number of methods and strategies to compel Africans to submit to colonialism and colonial administration. These included the use of conquest, high debts, taxation, monetization of the economy, and payment of low wages. Developed Nations use such above strategies/methods to maintain effective occupation and administration of their African territories during the period of colonial rule in the continent (Nwankwo, 1990).

The poor technological base

Technological redundant is the greater limiting factor for most of Africa states’ development due to even recent days rudimentary tools are being employed in production, this limit the efficient in extraction available resources hence poor Africans’ technologies lower their development. On the present day African states which has been responsible for their underdevelopment stems from their poor foundation of education laid by the colonialists

Higher rate of corruption

Most of the African leaders are corrupt; the African petty bourgeoisie maintained the long exploitation of the proletariat and the peasant classes. The rampant and complex nature of political instability and socio-economic malaise being experienced in most African states today has recourse to the nature and character of classes introduced in Africa by colonialism. The economic and other resources of Africa are shared between the petty bourgeoisie and their European/colonial counterparts, even in this contemporary time. The nature of political power struggle and distribution of wealth as well as economic resources in the contemporary African state are a reflection of the understanding and harmony of interest between the African petty bourgeoisie and their colonial partners/friends. The severe impoverishment of most Africans by their petty bourgeois leaders and marginalisation as well as oppression of the masses by those who have access to state power are offshoot of colonialism or colonial hang-over among African states (Heyer, 1981).

Poor commitment

African poor economic performance is highly due to bad choices made by African leaders (Kalu, 1978). The key reason is that Africans and the international community have enabled them to do so. The former have typically believed that they lacked the means to change the status quo, whereas the latter have been too ready to “help” Africa for reasons ranging from self-interest to altruism and pity. African leaders are highly reluctant to change and bring new ideas. They are mostly unable to accept new policies which are compatible with the regions resources. Rulers in the continent have been and are still being served as a weapon of politics for foreign and powerful governments rather than focusing on domestic prosperity in the corresponding countries. Development policies and strategies are not in the way that its people can be benefited.

Laziness among people

Heyer (1981). Africa is highly divers in culture, tradition, religion and ways of life. Despite diversity is known as unity, Africa’s diversity has been a source of conflict for civil war. This condition has diverted the attention of governments from development to security which also reduces the tension of workforce in productivity.

Selfishness among African leaders

Institutions are the basic elements to bring a sustained and desirable change what we usually call it as development. Strong and well structure institutions contribute for the development of a given country; on the other hand poor designed institutions will result under development even though a given region has enough resources required for economic development. Usually institutions in the African continent are mostly characterized by bureaucratic process in which there are corrupted officials and professionals. This has its own effect in the implementation of strategies and policies and brings difficulties to serve for the people.

Poverty

There is limited skills and knowledge among Africans on how to extract and process the available natural resources. In this regard most of the African countries are land locked which makes them less competitive in the international trade due to poor infrastructural development whereas most of Africa regions are so remote hence are partially connected to global market.

Cross border conflict and terrorism

Peace and security are a prerequisite for development and all human beings aspire and deserve them. All people also aspire for happiness and a quality of life devoid of poverty and indignity. Yet for the last three decades many African states have hardly enjoyed internal peace and security. State oppression by dictatorial rulers, especially during the Cold War, precipitated a prevalent culture of fear and silence which gave a semblance of peace in many countries. Oppressive governments elsewhere in Africa were portrayed as benign and progressive and their countries were projected as secure, peaceful and prosperous islands even as their dissenting citizens were silenced in detentions, police cells and torture chambers. The Cold War was used by the superpowers and their allies to justify the tolerance of political and economic oppression and violation of the rights of citizens who dissented.

Over exploitation of Africa resources

Colonial history can be expressed as one of the dark spot for Africa (Heyer, 1981). Europeans are really guilty enough in this manner, the continent has been fallen under the colonialism of Europe. Europeans had their mission with a primary focus on exploiting not only the natural resource of Africa but also the people of Africa as a labor. Colonialism has left Africa with psychological damage of its people which cannot be cured like the physical damage. What they call it the white people has established their continent’s economy with the cheap most probably unpaid black labor and the virgin natural resources like land and minerals. Surprisingly there is a correlation between GDP level and ethnicity , at macro level exist primarily because it happened to be lighter ethnic groups of western Europe that were the colonisers at the colonization period , while it happened to be darker ethnic groups of Sub-Saharan Africa that where the enslaved ones. They have stolen not only the physical resources of the continent but also our history and culture. What they are actually doing is that giving their culture and devastating our good cultures. By that time natural resources have been exploited and transported to the European countries.

Conclusion

Africa continent are blessed with plenty land which contain a lot of minerals and also the fertile land which enables the productions of the cash crops for their mother industries. Unfortunately this areas fall under the umbrella of those agents of colonialism like missionaries, traders, and explorers and their main aim is to get raw materials, areas for investments, markets are for their population surplus and soon this is due to industrial revolution in Europe. Most of the rules of the continent are not doing their best for striving the continent beyond extending their domestic political power. The economic and trade relation with the rest of the world are not based on the comparative benefit of the poor rather characterized by the European domination to be used as a weapon for political championship. Furthermore African countries should employ clear strategies on how to utilize available resources by having efficient capacity of human resources, stable governances, political and suitable technological basis.

REFERENCES

Heyer, J., et al. (1981). Rural Development in Tropical Africa. FEP Publisher Ltd.

Kalu, O. (1978). Readings in African Humanities: African Cultural Development.

Nwankwo, B. (1990). Authority in Government. Makurdi, Longman, Geria.

Rodney, W. (1982). How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Enugu, Nigeria: Ikenga Publishers.