THE PROBLEM WITH AFRICA 14

A boy’s phone charger got spoilt, and he started begging people for charger. It was very embarrassing because no one would want to give you his charger in Africa seeing that there is no guaranty they’ll have electricity to keep their phones useful. This continued for long till he decided to ask his father for money.
He asked his father for money to buy charger, the old man complained how difficult it is to raise the money for him because of the economic situation he was facing but after some days his father gave him 1500# and when he got to the shop where the charger are being sold, at the entrance are hawkers selling un-guaranteed chargers at 500#.
He thought of saving 1000# overwhelmed him; after all it charges he told himself. After buying the charger for #500, he lavished the remaining balance. When he got home, he showed his father what he had bought; the old man doesn’t know the difference between a good charger and a substandard one, so he was satisfied that the money was put to use and his son won’t have to be begging others for charger anymore. It was late at night, there was no Electricity as usual, so he switched on the Generator and immediately he put his charger, it got burnt.
Now he couldn’t tell his father again that the charger spoilt because it was fake and now he has to either stop using his phone or return into begging.
That story explains another problem with Africa. Those of us who were given public funds to purchase something for us went and bought fake and substandard things and pocketing the balance. Now the substandard things they bought for us are spoil already and the balance they’ve pocketed.
We built schools, built roads, bought computers for our offices, bought facilities for our sports, flooded the streets with lights, and many things we needed to thrive in Africa, yet we have nothing. The roads are spoilt already, the lights no longer shines, the computer no longer work, the facilities are dilapidated and its as if we never bought anything.
Those who went to purchase these for us, bought the substandard ones and installed, and they pocketed the balance and left us with inferior products and services.
Africa has now become the port of substandard products and services. Companies who dare not supply or render poor goods to other continent will confidently send poor goods here in Africa.
Our generator, phones, electronics and most facilities we use in Africa are the substandard ones.
Why should we go for the substandard? Why do we spend money on things that won’t last?
If Africa must be great, we must check the quality of product and services rendered to us. We must make the African market unfavorable to companies and businessmen who deal with fake products.
Let’s not go for cheap drugs, cheap phones, and cheap services etc. let’s buy well or not buy at all.
God bless you
Pastor Promise Ikpe