The Ghanaian High Commissioner to Canada, his Excellency Ayikoi Otoo, Esq has stated that one of Africa’s major challenges is identifying its economic peculiarity and making adequate provision for its teeming population.
Otoo made this statement during the first webinar series of Africa Canada Trade and Investment Venture themed: COVID-19: AN AFROCENTRIC RESPONSE
Reacting to Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ambassador explained that the continent did not consider people from different economic strata which led to inadequate provision to the populace as part of efforts to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic.
He said, “Africa, despite its effort to curtail the spread of the covid-19 in the continent experienced difficulties in identifying people in different classes. This is a major challenge most African countries face.
“They do not have the data of people in different economic class which makes it difficult for the government to provide the basic supply for people during the lockdown. Nigeria, for example was one the countries that experienced this and a group of people came out to protest because they couldn’t continue abide by the lockdown rules because of hunger,” he added.
Also speaking at the webinar, Tinu Bruchanova, a digital strategist based in Canada, stated that African countries should make digital infrastructure a priority as they have slacked so much in this area over the years.
“Digital infrastructure will be one of the major solutions to Africa’s challenges if they make it a priority. They have focused too much on other areas leaving this aspect alone. Digital infrastructure will help capture people in different economic class such as the unemployed, working class, dependent and independent.
“Citizens need to know what their taxes are being used for and government can also streamline areas they want to address at every point in time. Businesses need to be connected to all the chains. Africa needs that digital currency to grow”.