(JollofNews) – Sierra Leone’s Ernest Bai Koroma has added his voice to the chorus of recriminations, describing the unfolding events in Libya as an ‘African Problem.’
Disturbing news reports continue to emerge from detention centres located in the Northern African country, revealing a new type of ‘slavery’ involving young Sub-Saharan Africans being ‘auctioned’ by their jailors.
“It is a regional problem, an African problem. It is not only limited to The Gambia. We also have Sierra Leneans that are now returning
home,” he told reporters Friday during a press conference held at State House, Banjul.
President Koroma arrived Thursday in Gambia after attending a high-level Africa-EU Summit held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from November 28-29, 2017. The migration crisis topped the agenda as the ordeals of African migrants in Libya were uncovered by a CNN investigation.
He said the focus of the Africa-EU Summit was to see how they can work together to ensure that they can minimize what he termed as “uncontrolled migration” that is taking place.
“Nobody can stop migration. But uncontrolled migration that is what we have to focus on,” he stated.
Koroma then pointed out that African goverments need to create opportunities for young people to get engaged into more productive activity.
The Sierra Leonean leader said many young Africans leave their country out of ignorance as they succumbed to ‘false hopes’ and a good number of them ended up being duped and dumped by traffickers.
“How do we ensure to translate the energy of the youths info something more productive?” he qizzed.
Meanwhile, Gambia Information minister Demba Ali Jawo announced on November 29 that government is working on plans that would “fast-track and put in mechanisms to encourage Gambian youth to stay in the
country and partake in the rebuilding processes.”
Jawo further emphasized that where there is a need for youth migration, it must be done in context where their lives are not
endangered.
It is not a problem Mr President, it is a disgrace and sub regional humiliation. ECOWAS need a comprehensive and effective emergency repatriation policy on Libya humanitarian crisis. First our citizens must be released. Second they must receive necessary aid and support. Third they must be transported home and rehabilitated. Fourth leaders and countries should be required to develop policy to address and discourage such crisis in the future.
Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, president of Sierra Leone has made a very good and sincere view of the Sub-Saharans youth migration crisis. It is an African problem. My question remains to be: why is the future of youthful generation of the continent, with the most resources of the world, be so bleak, running a risk of drowning in the open Mediterranean sea or being auctioned by human traffickers in the struggle to get to ‘greener pastures’ of Europe?
Lately the French president has proposed to curb the situation with a Cash Rescue Plan of 10s of billions. In the light of that announcement, the atrocious Blackwater security contractors and Sharks have raised their hand; we are here, we are here! ‘We can rescue those trapped Africans by better logistics and cheaper cost’, groaning for a big chunk of those dangerous billions spoken of by the French president. Is that money after all a blackmail ransom demanded by Libyan criminals of different entities? Whatever the answers are, the horrible human crisis remains an African problem. In my view, such a horrifying sub- sahara Africa human crisis, is prophecy being revealed on African leaders to adapt to a new attitude toward leadership and a totally wiser worldview. They must be able to cleanse the hearts of power-hunger, greed and total disregard for the better future of their younger generations. Some non-African country’s with abundant natural resources are not pioneers in science and technology though, but have made their country a hope for their younger generations, a younger generation who wouldn’t risk their lives through despicable journey methods just to reach greener pastures of any part of the world except to reach there as tourists. I still doubt in the case of the latter, Africans would still be accepted or seen as genuine tourists, recalling the incident when former NBA star Magic Johnson and Hollywood big actor Samuel L. Jackson have been scorned at and cursed while the duo sat chatting in a town square of a tourist resort neighborhood in Italy. Passersby were saying, ‘hell, look at how these African immigrants spend our tax moneys .., they spend it on designer clothes like Vuitton and Versace …” Gee, they didn’t have an idea a black person can afford to be a tourist. This incident late revealed that in fact, the Italian mafia are the ones allocated with the claimed 35€ a day per immigrant, to run their businesses with African immigrants as articles. Rogue property owners and so-called catering businesses among them have had something up for grabs. But however, the blame is the African leaders and the problem is Africa’s. Leaders in Africa most learn how not to be a disgrace to their younger generations in the face of the world. The same thing has been said over and over to them for decades but have yet have shown very little sign of learning anything at all. Some leaders would go as far as petting their children to be exhibited like spoilt kids around, pouring champagne on a $60000 diamond wristwatch. Other’s sons would be a blend of the Paris highlife, buying mosaic properties and keeping the fleet of exclusive fast cars. Other African leaders would be negotiating their way out from their brutal decades of leadership after losing elections, holding the country at ransom. They haul the fleet Rolls Royce, Bentleys etc etc and loot the banks before boarding a plane to escape. Most of the African leaders come to power poor but in some cases get fat like a pig or shrunken like a stick because they can’t sleep at night as they get haunted by nightmares.
Some have seen harambee harambee to be a model mark on them and so the word makes no meaning without there face around.
African leaders must unlearn being fools thinking there are wise. They must lay examples that would help democracy flourish and rule of law established. The must be wise enough to understand that cash money from the West will not solve Africa’s problems but how Africa can be productive to make its cash money come about. I hope the African economist knows what I’m trying to put across. How can a continent with half or more of the world’s natural resources reserves be the poorest on earth? Other part of the world with less reserves have proved to do much better with theirs and why not Africa? There keep being divided by cultural heritage, religion, political and demonic leaderships in contrast to the West were people careless about political differences other than citizens socioeconomic statuses, what tax they pay and how that tax is spent through the expected protocol of transparency.
Once again, I urge the African leaders to rise from their slumber and refuse to be used as the milking tits to the continent’s resource as well as turning posing themselves as Gods above the people.
This seemingly insurmountable tragedy of migration has its roots to two factors which, if not curtail, will fester for a while. The ” PUSH” and ” PULL” factors, with the former seeing youths leaving for the proverbial ” greener pastures ” only to wallow in human camps in Libya will regrettably continue if young folks see no hopes and opportunities in their respective countries. It’s easy to dismiss their intentions as reckless and foolhardy but I sympathize and empathize with their decisions. It’s a basic human Instinct to want to better your self and provide for your family which in these circumstances is the “PUSH” factor.
This seemingly insurmountable tragedy of migration has its roots to two factors which, if not curtail, will fester for a while. The ” PUSH” and ” PULL” factors, with the former seeing youths leaving for the proverbial ” greener pastures ” only to wallow in human camps in Libya will regrettably continue if young folks see no hopes and opportunities in their respective countries. It’s easy to dismiss their intentions as reckless and foolhardy but I sympathize and empathize with their decisions. It’s a basic human Instinct to want to better your self and provide for your family.