12 Years A Failure: Faoure Gnassingbe of Togo

For the past 50 years, one family has ruled Togo but with nothing to show. President Faure Gnassingbe, the American educated President is currently presiding over a meagre 4.4BN GDP economy as of 2015. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total value of goods produced and the services provided by the people in a country during a period of 1 year. There are businesses in the world that produce more than the whole nation of Togo. In 2015, the US Company Apple made a profit of $53BN compare that to the GDP of Togo.

The Economy. Faoure Gnassingbe, a graduate of George Washington University in the American capital learned from the best of the best in global business. America MBAs are renowned for their business prowess, however, this expertise is not reflected the GDP of Togo. The country prides itself as being pro-business and yet the GDP does not reflect this proclamation. The report card on Gnassingbe’s pro-business declaration is the state of the economy. In 1960, when his father took over the GDP was $1.42BN today it is $4.48BN. After 50 years, Togo’s GDP has hardly changed if one factors inflation. To put things in perspective Ghana has GDP of 42BN and Kenya 70BN. Even Blaise the incompetent Compaore of Burkina Faso had a higher GDP of 11BN in his failed presidency of 27 years.

In American business schools students are trained in the economics of Wall Street, entrepreneurship and global economics. There is no sliver of evidence in Faoure’s economy that shows he learned anything during his time in business school.  The little economic activity that is taking place in Togo is by foreigners, who have studied the Gnassingbe family’s incompetence and their lack of business acumen and are taking advantage of the country.

Education and Literacy. 50 years after independence and Togo’s adult literacy is at a measly 60.4%. On the human capital spectrum looking into science which drives industry there are 102 scientists per million inhabitants of Togo. Also, World Bank statistics show that 55% of Togolese live in poverty.

Personal ambitions. Faoure Gnassingbe seems to spend his time focused on extracurricular activities. He has 17 children by 13 different women. He is so preoccupied with satisfying his lusts rather than nation building. He lacks the discipline to strategically plan for Togo or to desire to leave a legacy of achievement instead he wants to bully the Togolese into submission.

Faure Gnassingbe has been President for over 12 years and has been weighted in the balance of economic justice, and been found lacking and the millions in the streets want him gone from the seat of power. Any man presiding over an economy of 4.4BN is not fit to lead an African nation. Faure Gnassingbe is 12 years a failure.

Source of Statistics: UNESCO/World Bank