Lukonde
L. Chaibela, May 2014.
From early as 1980s till
now we have seen the boom of NGOs in Africa and their contribution to the
continent. The number of these NGOs keep rising and their area of interest
differ from one organisation to another, as some they are Christian-based,
poverty-reduction, human rights advocates, democratic dispensation advocates,
humanitarian etc. NGOs are synonymous with the issues of development, good
governance and economic growth in Africa.
In this paper, the author
will try to pen-down the pros and cons of these NGOs and their contribution to
the face of Africa.
The links between
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and trade unions run deep. It was civil
society activism, led by trade unions, which paved the way for the rise of NGOs
after the WWII. Funding of these NGOs comes in from all quarters. Simply NGOs
are a complex mishmash of alliances and rivalries, charities and businesses,
radicals and conservatives.
For the past decade Africa
has witnessed an influx of NGOs, both locally and internationally, and have
both created negative and positive change. Most of the NGOs that have planted
their feet in Africa are from Western countries specifically, USA, Canada, UK
and other European countries. Today NGOs distribute 10%-20% of all aid
transferred to Africa, the US government transfers about 40% of its aid
programs via NGOs (Manji and O’Coil, ibid).
The question we should ask ourselves as Africans is: Are NGOs a good force in
Africa or they are failing their promises? Perhaps, the most important question
should be: Are NGOs playing a pivotal role in changing the face of Africa or
they are just a proxy being used to advance western influence?
PROS AND CONS OF NGOs
PROS/MERITS OF NGOs
In Africa, there are
certain NGOs that play an important role and have contributed massively to the
transformation of the lives of many indigenous people, both young and old; boys
and girls. There are certain organisation such as Camfed which centered at the
uplifting girl-child education and they offer scholarships to the girls they
sponsor. There are also other NGOs that provide access to medical services such
Malaria, TB and AIDs. These organisations provides free access to medical
services and have contributed a lot a lot in areas where African governments
have no capacity to reach. Organisations such Global Funds have contributed
immensely in that area. NGOs are a rapid response unit to humanitarian disaster
not only in Africa but also the world at large. Members of these unique
organisations put their lives at risk by operating in torn-war areas by
providing services to poverty stricken individuals e.g. South Sudan, Somalia
etc. Simply put: NGOs operate swift in crisis stricken countries than African
governments does. NGOs have closed the gap between the rich and poor when it
comes to justice by providing the poor with access to justice. NGOs in this
angle provide citizens who are incapable of accessing justice, since justice in
Africa is for the rich and not poor. Poor citizens in Africa have less or no
access to the justice system as their trials takes long and some jailed
unfairly without being heard in the courts of law. Justice is only for the rich
or politicians (as in the case of Zambia where there is fast-track court cases
for politicians). These NGOs that advocate for equal access to justice have
come in and filled this gap. There are also other NGOs like Habitant for Human
who provides housing to less privileged individuals where the governments have
failed to do so. NGOs have become an important instrumental in the 21st
century, they chip where the government has failed to provide the service to
the citizens or where the government is acting careless and failing to account
to the citizens.
NGOs have consistently,
stepped up to plate to expose corrupt leaders, tyrants, counter powerful
multi-national corporations, advocate for the poor, stand up to powerful
African governments. Besides that NGOs create employment for the locals thus
eradicating poverty and contributing to national development. They better the
lives of the down-trodden individuals, those the government and elites neglect.
It is the NGOs who have been penetrating remote areas of Africa to provide
food, clothes, water and sanitation to the local people where governments have
failed and have no capacity. They supplement government efforts.
Certain NGOs like ActionAid
help governments to monitor tax evasion perpetuated by multi-national
conglomerates as in the case of Zambia where they challenged Illovo Sugar
subsidiary Zambia Sugar for not declaring their actual profit figures and the
issue of China Non-ferrous Corporation for not remitting actual tax to the
government. In April 2011, Mopani Copper (subsidiary of Swiss-based Company
Glencore) mines based in Mufurila district in Copperbelt province in Zambia was
accused of dodging tax. In Zambia, right now they are a core component
compelling the government to release the draft constitution.
CONS/DEMERITS OF NGOs
Despite their activities,
Africa still posts a disheartening picture of economic stagnation, poverty and
under-developed.
It has been widely viewed
that NGOs are a proxy to spearheading western interests rather than doing their
sole job. Their role has been put on suspicion and linked to that of early
missionaries to Africa who, it claimed, were used as instruments of subjugation
to colonial masters.
There have been reports of
some NGOs conniving with the media and together they represent Africa to be the
poorest continent despite the stride African governments are making in terms of
development. Some of these NGOs have moved from non-profit entities to profit
making entities. They demand certain taxes to be exempted so as to make their
work much easier. In Zambia, just recently the minister of finance just signed
a statutory instrument that will compel NGO to tax on imported vehicles etc.
Some NGOs have been accused
of lacking accountability for the funds and how they spend them. Most NGOs are
money and leisure spinning entities that buy 4X4 and hold numerous unproductive
seminars like the Zambian civil servants.
There is also an outcry
that whilst NGOs tell us that they fight poverty, poverty in certain African
countries have ballooned over the years despite having NGOs claiming that it is
reducing.
Some NGOs have been accused
of not having any regards towards the African culture as they have gone to the
extent of even promoting what has been considered in African set up as
disgusting or uncouth western norms such as homosexuality in the name of human
rights. And countries who don’t support these “disgusting” values and norms
have suffered massive financial withdraw from both NGOs and western governments
who tend to fund these NGOs. Simply put it into context: NGOs have a particular
interests that they intend to advance.
In countries like Ethiopia and Somalia NGOs have been criticized on not
doing enough to help eradicate poverty as they tend to simply live lavishly
lifestyles. This is the main reason some scholars and commenters have continued
to question the role of NGOs in Africa.
CONCLUSION
No doubt, NGOs are helping
Africa a lot but what needs to be known is their role in Africa. Their impact
in some areas is minimal. The question that needs to be asked is: Are these
NGOs really helping the image of Africa or they are just parading the extreme
poverty remote areas of Africa to the outside world so that those running these
NGOs can amass more wealth at the expense of impoverished children in Africa?
NGOs needs to be challenged and respect the values and norms of Africans. They
shouldn’t stop violating these values. I look forward to the day when Africa
will stop receiving aid from these western NGOs because it has the capacity to
feed itself. The continent is rich in its mineral deposits and other resources.
African can do better.
REFERENCES
1.
NGOs and Africa’s Development
& Economic Growth, Ogechi Njoku, 2006
2.
Mining firm under fire over
tax payments in Zambia http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2011/apr/15/mining-firm-tax-payments-zambia
3.
ActionAid's revelations on Zambia Sugar misleading:
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=30245
