Stay home and create jobs --Zimbabew envoy Musaka (March 19) page 45

The Zimbabwe High Commission to Ghana, Ms Pavelyn Tendai Musaka, has challenged African youth to stay on the continent and create jobs for themselves and others instead of rushing out in search of greener pastures.

“Use your brains and skills to create opportunities on the continent. We have so much in Africa to make ourselves comfortable, she said.

The long-serving High Commissioner, who is currently the Dean of the Diplomatic Corp made the call at the launch of  campaign, to promote accountability and active citizens’ participation in the implementation of Africa Union (AU) protocols, conventions and policy decisions among member states of the continental body.

Dubbed “My Africa, My Voice,” the campaign seeks to rally and empower ordinary citizens to achieve the objectives of the Africa Union and also demand the status of the implementation of conventions and protocols including the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and African Convention of Nature and Natural Resources.

Lampedusa migrant calamities
The High Commissioner’s  comments comes on the heels of  death of several hundreds of people who defy all odds to  ply the rather dangerous route to Europe through  the Italian Island of Lampedusa but end up dead, on a journey to better their lives. 

In February this year, the Italian coastguard reportedly rescued more than 2,000 migrants in a major operation off the Libyan coast.

However, for many others, such luck does not exist. According to BBC reports at least 130 African migrants died and many more are missing after a boat carrying them to Europe sank off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on October 3.

The boat was believed to have been carrying up to 500 people at the time and some 200 of them are unaccounted for.

But the Zimbabwean Diplomat observed that such calamities could end if young people on the continent decide to take advantage of the opportunities available to them instead of travelling abroad.
The Africa we want

“The Africa we want will not be given to us on a silver platter. We must work hard 365 days in a year to achieve that. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step,” she said.

She drew the attention of people planning to embark on such journeys to think about the harsh weather conditions, especially snow, that exist outside the continent.

A Pan Africanist and Secretary General, Pan African Writers Association, Prof Atukwei  Okai, however, stated that the container loads of young Africans immigrants in search of better conditions outside the continent could be dealt with if African leaders implement to the letter conventions and treaties they ratified.

Writer’s email:seth.bokpe@graphic.com.gh