AIDS Charity Blames Geldof, Bono for Aggravating African Plight

A leading African AIDS charity has criticised celebrities like Sir Bob Geldof and Bono, claiming that their efforts are increasing troubles in the continent, rather than relieving them.

Jobs Selasie, the head of African Aid Action, admitted that campaigns like Geldof's Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 did raise a lot of money for charity purposes.

He, however, insisted that such efforts led to increase in corruption, and made the continent more dependant on foreign aid.

He revealed that the number of dependants on foreign aid had recorded a five-fold increase ever since the Band Aid campaign took place in 1984.

According to him, the Governments of African countries are presently relying on contributions to make up 70 per cent of their annual budget.

Selasie also urged Africans to come forward and take the task of improving their situations in their own hands.

"Aid has failed because campaigners, charities and governments do not have the right plan and excluded African entrepreneurs and grassroots organisations from being part of the solution,” Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

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"You can't impose change from without (outside). It has to come from within and we won't end poverty with handouts. Africans need to fight corruption and work hard," he added.

Source-ANI
LIN/P