While watching news on a local channel a few days ago, only two issues were covered for about twenty minutes. They all focused on politics. A friend wondered loudly, “Are these only the events that have taken place today?” “A lot more important things could have taken place elsewhere,” replied another friend. Journalists and media houses are only concerned with negative reports and politics. Once something negative happens, they all rush there and come up with the same story while ignoring many important issues that could have happened elsewhere, far more important than politics.

This is what is happening in Africa now. Drought and locusts ravaged Niger last year and it was clearly known that if measures were not taken, a large number of people would face starvation.  The international relief agencies like the World Food Programme (WFP) were privy to this information and took more than eight months since the first plea was made to act. Were they waiting for the Niger people to be skinny enough for cameras in order to swing into action?

As all attention is being given to Niger, Mali which borders Niger to the west is in a similar situation. It is just a matter of time before the worst happens there but nobody seems to pay attention. Mali is chronically dry and very dusty; hence there is perennial food shortage. Last year, it experienced severe drought and almost all the crops failed. Burkina Faso and Mauritania too are not spared from the impending food shortage. As this is happening, the leaders of these countries and the representatives of the relief agencies are aware of everything. They are most probably waiting for casualties before taking action.  Media groups will then send their journalists there to cover the ugly scenes and all the channels will be airing this as their main story. From these, the relief agencies and well wishers will react.

Must the world always wait to count the dead in order to act? Are the leaders in these countries in touch with the realities that are on the ground? Do they have the interests of their electorates at heart? Do their families also experience the same problem? Most African leaders have their families living away from their countries and if they live in their countries, they are not akin to the realities that most people face. As most people go without a single meal, the leaders and their families are assured of a minimum of five meals per day. All this talk about food shortage is strange news to them.

A story carried by the Daily Nation on the August 3, 2005 revealed that most market stalls in Niger are fully stocked with foodstuff but the prices are so high that very few can afford to purchase them. Those selling the foodstuff cannot be blamed for the high prices as they are in a free market economy and want to maximize their profits. Thus a solution has to be found to help the people to come out of this situation.

A solution to most problems experienced in Africa can be found if African governments and relevant authorities become proactive to issues and investigative journalism is encouraged. Reading through most of the dailies in Africa, one will realize that most of what is reported is stale and devoid of future projection. Moreover, politics is given prominence and that is why many people are more versed with political happenings than socio-economic issues. It is claimed that the first appeal for aid in Niger was made last year but many people came to know of it after the appalling pictures of the malnourished children were aired. Had the journalists followed the development and continued airing the story from the time the first appeal was made, many lives would have been saved from their present anguish.

As the relief agencies try to curb the situation that has already done a lot of harm, journalists keep on updating the public about the developments on the ground. This should be done till the situation stabilizes. Moreso, investigation should be carried out and recommendations made as to what could be the lasting solutions to the problem. Any solution should be arrived at with a view of empowering the people to take charge of their needs instead of them having to rely on food aid every year.

African leaders should network with their African counter parts on a regular basis. This will enable them help each other on a mutual and prompt basis instead of having to wait for international organizations which have a lot of logistical bureaucracy to sort out before they can assist. African countries have enough food to share with their neighbours.