The announcement by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara (with French President Emmanuel Macron by his side) that the eight countries of UEMOA have decided to drop the CFA Franc (FCFA) in favour of the proposed ECOWAS common currency, the Eco, has elicited bewilderment, controversy and excitement in equal measure. Indeed African nationalists and intellectuals have long considered the FCFA as one of the most blatant symbols of France’s neo-colonial stranglehold on its former colonies in West and central Africa. (Indeed FCFA originally stood for Franc des colonies françaises d’Afrique.) Three aspects were considered particularly galling: 1) The CFA countries were obliged to deposit at least 50 percent of their foreign exchange reserves with the French central bank. In the past year[…]
Focus, Focus! The political chatter in Ghana is not focused on the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections at this time. Instead of a full-on discussion of how to ensure a conflict-free and credible elections, political commentary, as far as elections are concerned, is directed at one juicy story: the possible impeachment of the Electoral Commissioner and two of her deputies, who seem to be locked in some kind of career suicide pact. This is unfortunate; for, while the leadership of the national electoral commission is certainly crucial for the success of elections, a tunnel-vision focus that relegates equally important aspects to the periphery is short-sighted. Worse, the current controversy seems to be driven by partisan interests rather than a desire[…]
Prologue On 3rd June 2015, disaster struck Accra in spectacular, biblical, fashion. Flood waters fire extinguished over 150 souls at a fuel station near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. The disaster generated a national debate on urban waste management, notably the disposal of plastic waste, unregulated informal settlements and the link between poor drainage and perennial flooding in Accra. The tragedy also nearly drowned this article as it occurred about a week before its scheduled publication on the Okumah Blog. The ensuing debate made me rethink the thrust and timing of the article. Unsurprisingly, much handwringing and pontification followed the June 2015 tragedy. Pundits of all stripes emerged to offer solutions or engage in I-told-you-so self-congratulation; men of God issued calls[…]
South Africa – Behind and Beyond Xenophobia Through most of April 2015, the world’s attention was gripped by the xenophobic violence that swept across the rainbow nation, resulting in the deaths of several African migrants. Africans, in particular, were bewildered. Indeed bewilderment surpassed outrage in many instances. Why are our brothers killing us? That was the question on many minds and many lips. Whilst I do not presume to proffer a direct answer to this question I would like, through these pages, to expose some of the structural social and economic conditions of post-Apartheid South Africa, which may indicate the xenophobic violence as the tip of an iceberg of dangerous proportions. Watching the distressing images of South African youth wielding[…]