Clerics Task African Governments on Self-sustainability

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Africa Methodist Council (AMC) has charged African Governments on the continent to reduce their over dependence on foreign aids, noting that Africa must begin to look inwards for all its needs.

The President of AMC and Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church, Ghana, Most Reverend Paul Boafo, yesterday stated this while addressing journalists on the sidelines of its heads of conference summit and Africa Methodist Women’s conference in Lagos with the theme: ‘A revitalised Methodist movement for the transformation of Africa’s socio-political and economic landscape’.

He lamented that over the years, Africa has been over-dependent on foreign aids such as manpower, health care, education, agriculture and the likes, advising them that sourcing for these services locally are far cheaper compared to relying on foreign aids.

The cleric also stated the need for African Governments to deepen its level of cooperation and network to change the economic narrative of Africa.

According to him, “This is why Africans can help Africans. We should learn from ourselves and by doing so, it makes it simpler and cheaper. Meanwhile, in Africa, if you come to places like Nigeria, they have hospitals. The church has hospitals and schools, and the church has other things that are being manned by Nigerians or Africans and not by foreigners.”

He added: “So, at this conference, we will be learning from ourselves to know the kind of projects we can do together and the knowledge we can share and transfer.”

Speaking on the theme, he said the Methodist people right from the very beginning have been known to be catalysts in society, bringing about transformation, innovation development and working with the marginalised in society to see to the needs of the poor and needy.

He noted that as a church, it is seeking new ways and ideas to remain relevant in society.

The cleric lamented over the increasing rate of theologies taking advantage of people’s vulnerabilities to cart away with their hard earned resources.

“And so if as Methodists, we know the truth, and we can preach the truth and present Christ as part of this conference, how do we then go back knowing the ills and the evils in society to address it in our communities, so that our people will be informed, so that our people would be equipped to know the truth from the false theologies that are going on?” He asked.

Also speaking, the Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Oliver Ali Aba, said it has always been the dream of the Methodist for Africa to be united properly, saying that the forum is an opportunity for brainstorming and reasoning together to address critical issues to have a common vision of being seen as true preachers of the gospel.

“The society needs us, and we must give the society the best that would be achieved from this meeting. So, as Africa and Africans we need to sit down together to look at issues that would bring about the desirable state of Christianity in our continent,” he said.

According to him, some of the challenges hindering Africa’s progress is the lack of selfless leaders, noting that the incessant cases of coup d’etat on the continent are as a result of greed and selfish interest.

He also called on the need to revisit the African youth exchange platform, saying that African Governments must not lose sight of the initiative aimed at fostering youth knowledge transfer on the continent.

“We must not lose sight of this initiative. It will help us not to depend on other continents for survival. It is time for us to look at ways to be self-sufficient. Whatever we need to take care of ourselves is within us,” he added.