Mutharika, Obasanjo for a self reliant Africa: Stop entertaining the ‘we are poor’ attitude

Malawi President Prof. Peter Mutharika, and Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo have challenged Malawians, and Africa at large, to be architects of their own fortune by exploiting their resources for economic development.

President Peter Mutharika confers with Obasanjo in Lilongwe on monday (C)Stanley Makuti
Mutharika sharing a light moment with Obessanjo .-(C)Stanley Makuti

The two leaders made the call at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe where Mutharika hosted the former Nigerian Head of State for talks on investment prospects and economic development.

The state visit follows an invitation the Malawi leader had made to his Nigerian counterpart at the Global Economic Forum which was held in London last December.

In his statement, President Mutharika urged Africans to stop entertaining the “we are poor” attitude saying the continent had a lot of priceless resources which could effect massive economic transformation if fully exploited.

“Africa is not not a poor continent although our people are poor. We have resources and we have opportunities. What we need is to convert our natural assets into capital,” asserted Mutharika.

He added; “for this to happen, we need our people to be equipped with the right skills and above all, we need our people to have the right mindset.”

Mutharika also stated that his Government was working hard to make Malawi an investment friendly environment by, among other initiatives, intervening to make investment application process easier and quicker through establishiment of a one stop center where all processes are handled.

Echoing Malawi’s first citizen, Obasanjo explained that “we first have to realise that we are not powerless because have the power.”

He said what was needed most was to invest more in the abundantly available resources, including human resource through, among others, youth empowerment.

On his visit, Obasanjo has visited the country’s sugar production industry, and has toured some of the country’s villages to appreciate the basic farmers’ production of farm produce like tobacco, beans and maize.

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winston msowoya
winston msowoya
6 years ago

For God’s sake,Africa is not poor but we are extremely poor in leadership and,Iam also extremely delighted to say that,AFRICA is the richest Continent in the Planet and that was the reason why the white people in the beginning of the 15th century,came to Africa enmasse to exploit our resources and devided our Continent amongst themselves and if Africa was poor,the white people could have occupied Asia and Arab world.Peter and Obassanjo in their discussions,did not mind to lay down the word CORRUPTION and TRIBALISM which are the main cause of AFRICA’S unending calamities.Only CONGO AND SOUTH AFRICA,can satisfy the… Read more »

Retarded
Retarded
6 years ago

Africa is not poor but has incompetent and, retarded leaders, it’s as simple as that

Ayuzy
Ayuzy
6 years ago

Peter; you have just landed from begging and now you are saying we not poor

Akakunyanyalani azunguwo muzililanso??

ozitsa wachinyamata
ozitsa wachinyamata
6 years ago

“Africa is not not a poor continent although our people are poor,….. (mmmmh zooona izi@.) We have resources and we have opportunities. ………..What we need is to convert our natural assets into capital,,,,,,,” akuba achulu kuba capital yomwe yapangidwa convertoooh……..

bongolwethu jayiya
6 years ago

nkhalamba izi zingatiwuze chani chatsopano????

genuine poor
genuine poor
6 years ago

Trying to split hair. Differentiating between Africa and Africans. Africa is rich, Africans are poor. Europe is rich, Europeans are rich. America is rich, Americans are rich. How does this talk benefit Africa or Africans? I don’t think we are worried about a continent (the land mass) being rich or poor. We’re concerned about the people’s status. I’m beginning to feel that the reason Africans are poor is their presidents. These people are time-wasters. They are themselves rich, very rich, mostly out of stealing. And they want us the poor Africans to sing the song only them should sing: the… Read more »

mchisala
mchisala
6 years ago

In the two years plus he has been in office Mutharika has not put in place any serious programmes that would make it possible for the country to not believe in the ‘we are poor attitude.’

Otate hater
Otate hater
6 years ago

Otate zikugwirizana chiani ndi Kasakula? Nkhani ili apa ndi ya Obasanjo visiting Pitala alerting pitala that Africa is not poor despite being many Nigerians are labouring in foreign lands not benefiting from the abundant oil left in Ogoniland likewise with Malawi not benefiting from Uranium in Kayelekera.Why are Africans so poor with all the resources under their feet while the two are living in palaces and the rest of people are living in thatched houses in 2017 apart from a few cronies of theirs who are building mansions.Leave kasakula alone please…We are no longer voting for a failed party in… Read more »

ade
ade
6 years ago

ife anthu akuda tilibe nzeru. a good example is the professor himself. He is highly educated koma alibe nzeru. For Africa to develop it needs anthu a nzeru osati Ma Professor. Many European nations do not have professors as presidents koma amakhala ndi anthu a nzeru.

OTATE
OTATE
6 years ago

10 OUT OF 10 BRAVO APM. WE ARE PROUD OE YOU, YOU ARE ONE ODD ONE, THE KASAKULA PHENOMENON WILL MOVE US EVEN AN INCH. WE ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND APM. NO ONE CAN CHALLENGE APM IN AVOTE;TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. THE FACT IS, HE IS A WORLD ICON. SEE, HE IS NOT EVEN MOVE BY KASAKULA’S MARE RHETORIC

gwenyethe
gwenyethe
6 years ago
Reply to  OTATE

The issue here is not about votes. It is about stinking poverty that has been aggravated by the stinking corruption of DPP leadership. Even if he was to amass more that the 36% he got in 2014 or even 100% of the votes, if the trend of corruption and poverty remains as it is now it does not make any difference. One thing APM needs to get it right is to stop giving a lip service to fight against corruption because the small gains that we make gets wiped out by the greedy few party zealots. And as long as… Read more »

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