Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) director Farai Maguwu has warned that countries that are endowed with natural resources are more likely to experience socio-economic and political challenges compared to those with few natural resources.
Maguwu said countries that have a lot of natural resources are more susceptible to poverty, inequality, corruption, dictatorships, and even military coups when compared to those without natural resources.
He said the abundance of natural resources can result in prosperity if there is discipline and visionary leadership.
Maguwu also said resource looting is similar to other societal vices such as terrorism and drug smuggling. He was quoted by CITE as saying:
People must show complete disgust and rejection of the practice, there must be consequences for those who commit such crimes.
We must relate resource looting to our decaying hospitals without drugs, ambulances, and beds, we must connect resource looting to our shameful roads, and lack of water, and electricity.
Once this connection is made clear, we must demand that those in high offices account for our resources.
Maguwu highlighted the importance of enlightening communities about their constitutional rights so that they are not taken advantage of by mining companies.
He demanded that Parliament should have the power and mandate to scrutinize every transaction to ensure that the national interest is not compromised.
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