By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, April 30, GNA – Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, Chairman of Ghana’s National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), has strongly condemned the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, describing the perpetrators’ actions as “flawed and misguided.”
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra on Wednesday, Dr. Thompson said the unemployment situation facing indigenous South Africans was rooted in educational structural problems, rather than competition from foreign workers.
Drawing on his experience as a former UNDP Senior Economist to South Africa, Dr Thompson explained that South Africa suffered from severe skills deficits, with immigrants often creating jobs rather than taking them away from indigenes.
He attributed the violence to entrenched cultures of extortion and weak institutions, citing warnings by former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and former President Thabo Mbeki that poor education system has left many young South Africans unemployable.
He added that brain drain and deteriorating infrastructure have further compounded the crisis.
Dr. Thompson urged respect for African Union protocols guaranteeing freedom of movement across the continent, stressing that private individuals have no right to enforce immigration laws through violence. Commending South Africans who have spoken out against the attacks, he called for a renewed pan-Africanist agenda to strengthen unity and solidarity across the continent.
He concluded by praising NDPC Director-General Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah and her team for consolidating stakeholder inputs into a coherent national development framework, reiterating that Ghana’s planning must be both effective and responsive to the needs of its citizens.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
