Page 127 - Afrika Must Unite

112 AFRICA MUST UNITE
emerging from colonialism are indulging in wasteful expenditure
by duplicating industries and ventures which have already been
perfected by the older industrialized nations of the world, whose
products are available at lower cost than that for which they can
be manufactured by us. It may be true in some instances that our
local products cost more, though by no means all of them, and
then only in the initial period. But even if it were substantially the
fact, it is not an argument that we can accept. It is precisely
because we were, under colonialism, made the dumping ground
of other countries’ manufactures and the providers merely of
prim ary materials, that we remained backw ard; and if we were
to refrain from building, for example, a soap factory simply
because we might have to raise the price of soap to the com­
munity, we should be doing a disservice to the country.
Every time we import goods that we could manufacture if all
the conditions were available, we are continuing our economic
dependence and delaying our industrial growth. It is just these
conditions that we are planning to provide, so as to make our­
selves independent of the importation of goods and foodstuffs
that we can produce ourselves. These are the conditions which
will assist to build up our body of knowledge, techniques and
skills, to make us more self-confident and self-sufficient, to push
towards our economic independence. Another no less im portant
aspect is that the exchange thus saved can be used to finance
capital machinery for our own industries, which alone can give
value to our industrialization.
U nder colonial administration, postal, telegraphic and rail
communications, broadcasting, such electricity and water
services as existed, were all publicly owned and administered.
Since independence we have added an airline, a shipping line,
and a national bank. We have met with active resistance from
vested interests in our efforts to establish our own mercantile
fleet.
In connection with the founding of Ghana Airways, it was
m aintained that there were enough international airlines to
serve our needs, and that the formation of a new one was an un­
necessary multiplication, which would only serve to satisfy our
national pride. Even if this were true, which it is not, it was an
argum ent which did not appeal to us. Naturally, it increases our