Oil, Gold, Etc., Invite Investors, and Yes, Corruption & Inequality

May 5, 2015 | J. Yanqui Zaza
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Diamonds, gold, etc., resources needed for prosperity, are in abundance in Liberia, specifically, and in general, in Africa. Investors, invited or not, are in every country in Africa. Also, the “dividend trickle-down” economic system, propagated as the weapon to defeat corruption and inefficiency, is embraced by many Africans. But instead of prosperity as promised by the World Bank, inequality and corruption are in abundance in Liberia, and in Africa.

Trying to identify the source of the harsh economic condition inflicted upon Liberians, some advocates and the news media, especially FrontPage Africa and The Perspective, once again, do focus on the flawed concessionary agreements signed by the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Echoing allegations by Global Witness, they claimed that multinational companies did receive sweet heart deals at the expense of Liberia.