Jesse Jackson Calls For African Reconstruction Plan But Who Knows Where He’ll Get The Money

By Brittany Hutson

Has Reverend Jesse Jackson lost his marbles? Some may think so.

Earlier this week, he announced a plan calling for world powers to provide African countries with massive reconstruction aid in exchange for years of what he described as “colonial rape.” The plan, he said, would resemble the Marshall Plan, a reconstruction plan established in 1947 to rebuild and create a stronger economy for European countries.

Jackson also said that designing such a large scale plan would require increased accountability in nations like Nigeria. The Washington Post reported  as much as $380 billion has been embezzled from crude oil revenues since Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960. According to Voice of America, Africa is the most corrupt region in the world and six African countries are among the top 10 most corrupt countries: Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Burundi, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

Jackson’s intentions are commendable but his announcement, during a time when the world is grappling with the aftermath of a massive recession,  falls short. Who has the capital to fund such an initiative? While there’s no doubt our fellow men need assistance, during these times, a project such as this would quickly fall flat. Maybe this plan could seriously be taken into consideration if it is handled with extreme caution and strategic planning.

What do you think about the Reverend’s plan?