African scholars and intellectuals must also step up to be counted. Why would I as an African professor use professor Cresswell's book to teach research methodology when I am a professor like him? I have been in leadership for a long time, why can't I produce knowledge on leadership without constantly referring to scholars like Maxwell?
Some African scholars are beginning to stand up and produce knowledge that will help our continent. I have just published a book on insights into institutional leadership that was to be launched in the presence of His Excellency the President but unfortunately he was out of the country. The cabinet secretary for public service came in his place and we were honored. I am following that book up with another one next week on functional research methods.
African governments have realised that they cannot finance infrastructure projects based on tax revenues and loans. They now realise that they must look into working with the private sector. A recent report by the Africa Development Bank stated that African countries need to invest between $130 to $150 billion a year to close the infrastructure gap. Taxation and loans cannot fill this gap; the private sector must come into play.
“Africa has an advantage that it has never had before. The cheapest electricity in the world today, is daytime solar in Africa.
If we have the potential for the cheapest electricity, we also have the potential for the cheapest transportation. 40 percent of the national reserves of foreign currencies are used to purchase and import petroleum products. If a large amount of that cost is alleviated in African countries, it creates a system that is immune to fossil fuel-based inflation.”