Josiah
Renowned South African politician, Julius Malema, is linking Africa’s developmental challenges, including those faced by Ghana, to a departure from the values of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and an excessive focus on privatizing crucial state assets.
In an exclusive interview with JoyNews’ Maxwell Agbagba, the founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters advocated for a corruption-free, state-led development approach with reduced emphasis on privatization as the solution to the continent’s problems. Malema emphasized that moving away from Nkrumah’s principles and prioritizing the privatization of strategic sectors hinder efforts to address unemployment, as privatization tends to prioritize profit over workforce stability.
He stated, “If you drift away from Nkrumah’s principles of state-led development and prioritize privatization of strategic sectors of the economy, you’ll never address the issue of unemployment because the interest of business is to maximize on profit, and every time you privatize something strategic, the first victims of privatization are the workers.”
Julius Malema is currently in Ghana at the invitation of the Arise Ghana Youth Movement to participate in a national dialogue on Pan-Africanism.
Organizers believe the event will provide Ghanaian youth with an opportunity to connect with Malema’s activism and commitment to a liberated and united Africa.
Regarding the dialogue, Malema highlighted its importance in addressing issues of Pan-Africanism and economic emancipation, especially as countries on the continent grapple with challenges in a polarized world.
“We are happy to be here because Ghana is our home and always showed us the way. So we’re not here necessarily to educate anyone; we are here to learn from each other. That’s why it is called a dialogue, and the central message will be Pan-Africanism and economic emancipation of the length of Africa, not only in Ghana,” Malema remarked.
He further emphasized that political freedom without economic emancipation is meaningless, and the engagement seeks to raise awareness among the people of the continent about the importance of unity for the benefit of Africa, countering the influence of imperialist and colonial forces.
