Cape Coast, April 9, GNA – Africa’s freedom and political independence remains incomplete until the Continent has total control of her rich natural resources, Dr Anika Daniells Osaze from Harlem, New York, has said.
”The epoch we are now at, as Africans, is the story of full ownership and utilisation of our endowments to modernise, industrialise, and ultimately improve the lives of our people, » she said.
Dr Osaze, the High Priestess of the Shrine of Ma in Harlem, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the Second Edition of the Pan African Lecture Series, organised by the Obokese University of Excellence (OUE) in Cape Coast.
The lecture, organised once every month, seeks to encourage political and economic integration among African states and help eradicate colonialism and neo-colonialism from the continent.
Dr Osaze explained that Africa was endowed with numerous resources such as gold, bauxite, timber, and cocoa, which could help accelerate socio-economic development and improve the livelihood of the people when well harnessed.
She called on Africans to collaborate to ensure sustained business growth, create decent jobs and increase incomes, as well as enhance intergovernmental fiscal arrangements and financial management capacity at all levels of government.
Mr Jabari Osaze, the High Priest, Shrine of Ma, said African countries should invest in technology and innovations to promote regional integration, generate inclusive economic growth, create employment and break the digital divide.
He underscored the need for the countries to partner to transition to the digital economy and ensure that no one was left behind as there could be no industrialisation without technology.
Mr Osaze said the continent must address the challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment to smoothly transition to the digital economy.
“It is important to look at digital transformation and digital economy from our indigenous knowledge systems or products if we want to be inclusive,” he said, and that the gap between policymakers, implementers, and the people must be closed.
Mr Osaze said that was a hindrance to modernization, which could not be achieved without technology.
He, therefore, charged African leaders to teach and train the youth on their culture and history to appreciate their roots better.
