Dr Kodjoe Sumney, a cleric, says Africa would have accelerated economic transformation if the Continent practiced socialist democracy with focus on vocational education and entrepreneurship.
Citing China as an example, Dr Sumney made a case for what he called “whole process people’s democracy”, involving all units of the population, and said that must be coupled with technical and vocational training to provide a launchpad for accelerated economic growth for Africa.
Dr Sumney, the President of Missions Africa Incorporated, a Christian nonprofit humanitarian organisation, said: “It is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. It is a true democracy that works.
“China is not a cruel and primitive country like we have been made to believe. Under communism. China Today 1978- 2023. 45 years has lifted 800 million out poverty (10 %) economic growth yearly in all sectors. China had 60 billionaires below the age of 40, this year 14 of them, joined the billionaire club for the first time in 2020.
“The uptick mirrors a wider unprecedented surge in the fortunes of China’s urban wealthy, with the country now home to 878 billionaires with a combined wealth of $4 trillion. A decade ago in 2010, the country counted just 189 billionaires.”
Speaking at this year’s African Union Day Commemoration Service in Accra, Dr Sumney identified three levels of vocational education-junior secondary, senior secondary and tertiary-with different for vocational and technical training, as well as talent specialized secondary, technical education.
The theme for this year’s celebration was: ” Solution for Graduate Unemployment.”
Dr Sumney said there should also be a skill workers’ college, which would consist of building, mason army, carpentry, roofing, tiles, painting and decorations, real estate development, Engineering, auto and bodyworker, auto electronics aiming at training secondary-level skill workers.
He challenged Africa leaders to apply what he called “Africa herbs to immunize ourselves against these viruses.”