We get Aid, Aid and more Aid but we can’t negotiate that corner to have tangible results in terms of economic development at which so much money is thrown. There are always cries for increased aid to Africa no matter what Governments dictatorial or otherwise are in place. Africa’s problem is the Aid itself which is directly administered through Government international accounts. When donors are interested in helping the common man, they are at all times channeling their cash dollars through our Governments.
Cynics may argue whether this issue should be topical, afterall no one expects the Donors to go handing out money categorically to beggars and single mothers alike that loiter on our streets nor can they conduct a country wide scan on who’s failed to pay school tuition and pay for them. The government is held custodian of the people to such numerous funds and is bound to make sure they serve the causes they are meant for.
In Uganda and Tanzania which depend grossly on foreign aid and to a lesser extent Kenya, Governments here though have devoured huge donor funds over time cannot claim to have overseen a drive to have ushered in a big chunk of their populations from poverty. They always paint a rosy picture by reading our improving GDPs with less weight on human development. I should say human development is not a constraint in fighting poverty in much the same way in all these countries.
The peasants have only realized much less good teachers in their schools , fully medicine stocked hospitals are distant dream, hiking energy costs are a reality though it’s the governments that suffocate any competition in generation, distribution and selling.
Enrollment as increases though in primary schools, it’s however at the cost of what was remaining of the better part of our education systems. It’s not alien today to have a grade seven leaver who is not able to read and write correctly. Children are huddled like cattle in tiny per square classes with no desks, no books not to mention being taught by unqualified teachers.
Private SMEs have had opportunities to be financed by international financial organizations through Governments. Any such money does not reach the benefactors but ends up with shoddy companies owned by so and so with government connections.
We have all witnessed the dire situation in public procurement which has dogged Tanzania, rife in Uganda and defied odds in Kenya
Public procurement sins have claimed some of its latest victims thanks to an increasingly vibrant press, many people put the pressure at the right points, and it’s rife in Uganda and is stripped.
Donors have an alternative if they really mean to help us,
They should desist pouring money in corrupt regimes, if anything even when they don’t put that money in government pockets its not the common man that will suffer because they never even get a buck of that money.
Talk of the money to boost export promotion from the Europeans meant for SMEs and government officials keep rotating trying to screen who’s behind the company even when one qualifies, no money is approved unless there is some good blood between the applicants and assessors. Others prefer their hands to be greased before approval is realized, government officials know all this and nothing is done. If the goal is to really to help increase exports why does that money end up sitting in banks even when there are qualified beneficiaries.
Money is borrowed or even donated to build roads, schools, upgrade electrical lines or even fix dilapidated water pipes. Lengthy procurement processes ensue but always companies whose names sound “good” to procurement panel end up with contracts even when they don’t meet the procurement conditions. They end up with shoddy works, inflated budgets with nothing to show on the ground but nothing is brought to book.
If donors are going to give any development aid as to realize its work, they should involve the private sector machinery and government as they can advise on how the funds can trickle down to beneficiary because many government officials have over lasted their enterprising capabilities to jumpstart our economies.
It’s also very important to note that many poor countries that have realized developments not through development aid but from trade, its such that donors should help small scale manufacturing and agribusiness directly and that could at least transform into exports, jobs and better BOP s instead of burdening us with Government monitored loans which end up being stolen to build mansions but our kids pay through heavy
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