African governments have failed to deliver widespread economic opportunities – KRL

President and CEO of KRL International, USA, Riva Levinson has criticized African governments for failing to deliver on economic promises in their countries.

She stated that political leaders have taken advantage of the weakened institutions to manipulate the electoral process for self-gain.

Ms Riva Levinson added that change is inevitable and as a result of these actions by corrupt leaders, the youth embark on activism in order to demand change from government.

“Political leaders take advantage of weakened institutions and okay electoral process for personal benefit, in response the youth mobilize to demand change and change comes at times its dramatic, at times its incremental but it is inevitable because history is on the side of the activist generation.”



“We need to remind ourselves of an African population which is expected to double in 2050 and of the failure of African governments over the past decade to deliver widespread economic opportunities. We must accept the fact,” She said.

Ghana has been recognized as one of the countries in Africa noted to have had peaceful leadership transition of power on four consecutive occasions.

However, she hinted that transformational change is important and there are consequences for African government if they do not act now.

“African government is lagging well behind a population explosion that demands transformational change and if we do not act now, the consequences will be grave for Africa and for global stability.”

“Parts of sub Saharan Africans nations have had leadership transitions again, Ghana leads the way with the country completing its fourth consecutive peaceful transfer of presidential power in 2016 since returning to civilian rule in 1993.”

Speaking at the 39th Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lectures at the University of Ghana Legon, Riva Levinson noted that civil society has a role to play in putting to an end leaders who try to prolong their stay in power.

“This activist generation plays a categorical role in transition, particularly in African countries where leaders have tried to prolong their power through undemocratic means, entrenched leaders and corrupted political systems are resilient and they do not fold willingly.”

In addition, she called on foreign donors to step in to assist the activists and civil societies in the country. And that the gap between the urban and the rural divide must be closed so as to increase their diversity.

“Foreign donors need to get behind the activist generation and civil society and not in front of them…The activist generation must look for ways to close the urban, rural divide to increase their diversity and their numbers."