The All Africa Students Union (AASU) has noted with great concern the fact that the year 2015 looks to be no different from past ones as the situations in many countries seem bleak.
According to AASU, many countries on the continent maneuverings are going on in order to tamper with their constitution to enable the incumbent leaders to still hold on to power regardless of the profound desire of their people for change and the lessons from recent experiences of other countries like Burkina Faso.
“Other countries are showing their ineptitude to protect their citizenry as extremist groups are defeating their arm forces and imposing untold hardship on their people.”
According to the Union, Burundi is gradually toppling over in violence as presidential and parliamentary elections planned for May 2015 approach. President Pierre Nkurunziza, in power since 2005, is expected to run for a third term in office while some opposition leaders have been forced into exile and will not participate in the elections.
The insurgency in Nigeria, AASU noted, has engulfed the neighboring countries of Cameroun, Niger and Chad. Boko Haram is currently waging brutal war in Nigeria with its cohorts of dead, maimed and displaced people.
According to the UNHCR some 7,300 Nigerian refugees have arrived in western Chad in the last 10 days, fleeing attacks on Baga town and surrounding villages in northeast of the country. The same source elucidated that in all, the conflict in north-east Nigeria has led to the exodus of 135,000 people- around 35,000 Nigerians to Cameroun and 10,000 to Chad and the displacement of at least 850,000 people within Nigeria?s Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
“It is disturbing to note that Boko Haram is advancing and even taking over military camps in Nigeria with little resistance from the Nigerian army. This situation is a clear demonstration of the lack of concern of African leaders for the protection and the wellbeing of their people. They are indeed more interested in dishonesty for personal gains and unwary of the fact that they are better secured when their people are protected and well to do”.
AASU reiterates its submission that African countries as they stand are not viable as all these occurrences on the continent testify. It is, therefore, imperative for African leaders to stop their lip services towards the political, socio-cultural and economic integration of the continent.
AASU calls on all African democrats and patriots to unite and promote the integration of the continent through selfless, committed and foresighted leadership.
Source: spyGhana.com
