By Moses Uwagbale
Mr Promise Amahah, an agribusiness expert has urged the president of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina to sustain the development projects in Africa to tackle poverty on the continent when re-elected.
Amahah gave the advice ahead of the election of the bank to choose a new president scheduled for Aug. 27.
Adesina is the sole candidate contesting for the AfDB top job during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which holds between Aug. 25 and Aug. 27.
He explained that the AfDB current president had brought a lot of development projects and investments to the continent, hence the need to sustain them in his second term in office.
He said Adesina had opened up Africa for international cooperation and visibility, saying that it was first time in the history of the bank that it gained so much international mileage and penetration as AfDB achieved more through global partnerships and cooperation.
Amahah, also president of the Nigerian Young Farmers Network (NYFN), said that Africa had gone from being an object of scorn to everyone’s bride.
According to him, with Adesina style of leadership, countless regional forums on African partnerships began to take place globally.
“Adesina has done so much, he opened up the continent to more foreign direct investments, strategic engagements which led to continental paradigm shift.
“It is my expectation to see him doing more in showcasing the “new” Africa to the world.
“The AfDB presence in Africa through Sector Specific Strategic Interventions across Africa, well thought out and sector specific strategic projects are either completed or ongoing in various countries.
“Infrastructural investments have been opened and agricultural potential unlocked, real sector investments for manufacturing as well as support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) opened up too.
“A further icing on the cake is the renowned Agro industrial zones which has greatly accelerated agribusiness in Africa. AfDB has become a household name due to the last mile impact of projects and policies centered on socio-economic development,” he explained.
According to him, Adesina’s inspirational leadership has led to massive psychosocial transformation, especially among young Africans who are in dire need of such leaders as role models.
The expert said he was happy that Adesina came out clean over the unfair trial on corruption allegations from who he described as enemies of African progress in the height attempt to pull him down but had triumphed over them.
Amahah, however, charged AfDB AGM to address the challenges of unemployment and insecurity on the continent.
“In my honest opinion, insecurity and unemployment should top the discussion during the AGM of AfDB. Taking a broad look across Africa, you will notice that issues of insecurity are in the front burner. From Mali to Nigeria, insecurity is currently ravaging the continent.
“There cannot be any meaningful development and investment without security. Bold ideas require a safe environment to thrive. The rising cases of insecurity and unemployment in the continent require a strategic approach and call to action by all stakeholders.
“The AGM should consider deeply the root causes of rising insecurity and unemployment. Identifying gaps and inefficiencies fueling these issues will ensure a more pragmatic and timely discussion” he added.
