(HERALD) Poverty must go makes good reading

Poverty must go makes good reading
By Richmore Tera

THE sale of Chiadzwa diamonds has sparked widespread talk in many quarters of society. There is hope that the sale of the gemstones will change the lives of the ordinary people of Zimbabwe who for many years have been wallowing in poverty.

This saw the phrase "Poverty must go" becoming the catch phrase and rallying call of many African people, whose countries have been and still are bedeviled by the vicious circle of poverty.

It is in that vein that the recent issuance of the third edition of the book titled Poverty Must Go by Zimbabwean-based Ghanaian author, Reverend Ernest Godsman Agyapong makes an interesting, topical and indispensable reading for Africans at large and Zimbabweans in particular.

In it, Rev Agyapong not only explains why Africa has always been poor, but also explains how the ample utilisation of the continent’s natural resources by its own people is one way of eradicating poverty.

In the opening chapter, What Is Poverty? the author defines poverty and its attendant causes.

He quotes one Prophet Akinwe, who said: "Poverty is a condition or a state of financial wretchedness in man’s life, in which one cannot meet basic and essential needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

"It might be a vicious circle, catastrophe, bankruptcy, insolvency, persistent indebtedness and even pauperism and beggarism." (page 9)

The above is exactly what has characterised the African continent for many years, lacking many basic rights and often in debt to money-lending institutions like the International Monetary Fund among others.

According to Rev Agyapong, this is despite the fact that most African countries are endowed with abundant mineral wealth and natural resources that can eradicate poverty and misery.

An interesting part of the book is when the author defines the many types of poverty, such as mental poverty, physical poverty, social poverty, achievement poverty, financial poverty and spiritual poverty, most of which have been characteristic of the African continent.

The author further urges people to take advantage of the talents that God endowed them with and that lie in abundance around them and within them.