Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has told African leaders to stop picking their friends and loyalists for important government jobs — especially in the economy — and instead focus on appointing highly skilled professionals.
Speaking at a leadership retreat in Ada, Ghana, organized by the Ghanaian Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jonathan said that putting the right people in charge is the only way African countries can grow faster and stronger.
He explained that many African leaders make the mistake of filling top roles based on personal relationships, instead of choosing people who have the right training and experience. According to him, this approach has slowed down development on the continent.
“In my time, I picked people based on their ability, not on whether they supported me politically,” Jonathan said. “Some didn’t even vote for me, but I gave them key positions because I believed in their skills.”
He gave examples of how he brought in global experts like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina to lead Nigeria’s finance and agriculture ministries, even though they were outside the country during the elections.
Jonathan praised former Ghanaian President John Mahama for appointing well-educated professionals into his cabinet. He said Mahama’s approach is a good example of how to build a smart and efficient government.
Beyond appointments, the former Nigerian leader also urged the African leaders to think long-term and plan for the next 25 to 30 years, rather than just focusing on their four-year terms. He said leaders must start acting quickly because their time in office is short, and the people expect results fast.
He didn’t stop there. Jonathan stressed the need for African leaders and countries to invest heavily in talent development and tech-based education. He pointed out that countries like India, Taiwan, and Singapore made major progress because they built strong education systems and produced people who could drive innovation.
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“Technology is good, but the people who build the technology are even more important,” Jonathan said. “If we want to develop, we must start by training our people to become creators and problem solvers.”
He highlighted how he introduced a special scholarship scheme during his presidency to help Nigeria develop young experts in science and technology — something he believes all African countries should do
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