By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK (IDN) – “Inequality has reached extreme levels in West Africa, and today the wealthiest 1 per cent of West Africans own more than everyone else in the region combined.” That was the finding in a new report published by Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI).
According to the “West Africa Inequality Crisis” report, six of the ten fastest-growing economies in Africa were in West Africa, with Ivory Coast, Ghana and Senegal among the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies.
“In most countries the benefits of this unprecedented economic growth have gone to a tiny few,” the report said.
The report said the vast majority of West Africans were “denied the most essential elements of a dignified life, such as quality education, healthcare and decent jobs”.
While West Africa suffers the most inequalities on the continent, many governments prefer to ignore problems despite economic growth, the report said.
In Nigeria, for example, the wealth of the five richest Nigerian men combined stands at US$29.9 billion – more than the country’s entire budget in 2017, the report said.
Rather than tackle inequality, some of the region’s governments were underfunding public services, such as health and education, and failing to tackle corruption, Oxfam’s regional director Adama Coulibaly said.
The report called on governments to do more to promote progressive taxation, boost social spending, strengthen labor market protection, invest in agriculture and strengthen land rights for smallholders.
For example, it said the region loses an estimated US$9.6 billion annually because of corporate tax incentives offered by governments to attract investors.
But not all governments were tackling inequality the same way. Cape Verde, Mauritania and Senegal were among the most committed to reducing inequalities, it said, while Nigeria, Niger and Sierra Leone were among the least. [IDN-InDepthNews – 11 July 2019]
Photo: Peter Akmtter is a construction worker on one of the high-rise buildings shooting up in Ghana’s capital, Accra. He and many of the workers live with their families in makeshift houses on or close to the building-sites. Credit: Lotte Ærsøe/Oxfam IBIS
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