Jonathan advises African countries on good governance

PRESIDENTGoodluckJonathan has advised African countries to improve their governance structures, curb illicit financial outflows, increase capital investment and diversify the productive base of their economies in order to speed up the attainment of their economic potentials.He gave the advice on Wednesday in Perth, Australia, while delivering a keynote address entitled: 'Unleashing Africa's Potentials ' A New Vision' at the Commonwealth Business Forum, saying that African countries must also quicken their pace of human capital development and ensure a better utilisation of opportunities which international trade offers for growth.According to him, 'A central plank of actions that we need to take to ensure that Africa achieves its latent possibilities as a contributor to global ideals of peace, security, growth and prosperity is improved governance. We must, therefore, continue to strive to ensure the enthronement of credible and accountable governments.'We are confident that improved political governance, the accelerated diversification of African economies into higher value sectors, the growth of an African middle class and increased political stability will ensure sustainable growth and generate prosperity across the continent, both in the medium to long terms.'As we nurture our partnerships, as we build bridges across the Commonwealth, I believe that much of the work that remains to be done to unleash Africa's potentials must be driven by Africans and their governments.'Jonathan argued that African countries must put their house in order by preventing conflicts and creating conditions for security and stability.He also identified illicit financial outflows from Africa as one of the factors hindering the attainment of the continent's full economic potentials.Jonathan remarked that for Nigeria, the urgent task was to turn the productive and innovative energies of its youthful population into a positive force for change and development adding that, 'we are proceeding with our privatisation programme in sectors ranging from telecommunications, energy, oil and gas, solid minerals and infrastructural development.
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