NDPC Chairman condemns Xenophobic attacks in South Africa, calls for Pan-African unity

Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Chairman of Ghana’s National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), has condemned the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, describing the actions of the perpetrators as “fraudulent 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 shortages, with immigrants often creating jobs rather than taking them away.

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 commended NDPC’s 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.

Source: GNA

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