In many African countries, those who work the hardest remain the poorest. Farmers toil under the sun, miners risk their lives underground, teachers dedicate themselves to educating the next generation, and religious evangelists serve remote communities tirelessly. Yet, these "direct workers" often remain at the bottom of the economic ladder while intermediaries, owners, and top-tier leaders reap the lion's share of the benefits.
Structural Barriers to Wealth for Direct Workers
1. Lack of Access to Timely and Accurate Information
In most rural and low-income settings, access to real-time market prices, labour rights laws, funding opportunities, and technological advancements is extremely limited. For example, Tanzanian cashew farmers often sell their produce to middlemen who offer lower prices, unaware of international market demands and value.
2. Knowledge Trapped in Job Context
Many workers have skills limited to a specific role. A Kenyan primary school teacher may not know how to leverage their knowledge into tutoring services, curriculum development, or online content creation. When their salary is delayed or suspended, they are left with no financial alternatives.
3. Capital and Asset Exclusion
Direct workers usually lack savings, collateral, or access to affordable credit. For instance, small-scale Zambian miners often work with rudimentary tools and cannot scale their operations without financial support. Consequently, they remain dependent on brokers who exploit their vulnerability.
4. Powerlessness in Decision-Making
Direct workers rarely have a say in policy-making or institutional governance. In Nigeria, for example, farmers are often excluded from agricultural policy forums, leaving decisions to elites who may not prioritise their needs.
The Betrayal by Workers’ Unions and Cooperatives
Ironically, the very institutions designed to protect and uplift workers have, in many cases, failed them.
1. Union Elitism and Corruption
Many trade unions in Africa have become breeding grounds for opportunism. Union leaders often collude with employers or politicians. In South Africa, for instance, some leaders within COSATU have been accused of prioritising political alliances over the grassroots needs of their members. In Tanzania, teachers' unions have repeatedly failed to secure timely salary payments or fight unjust dismissals effectively.
2. Lack of Accountability
Members pay monthly dues, yet receive little to no support when crises arise. In Uganda, some health workers reported being abandoned by their union during the COVID-19 pandemic, left without protective equipment or legal assistance despite their contributions.
3. Gatekeeping and Suppression of New Leadership
Younger, visionary unionists are often blocked from leadership roles. This entrenches outdated leadership and prevents the evolution of more responsive, modern unions.
What Can Direct Workers Do to Reclaim Power and Prosperity?
1. Embrace Lifelong Learning
Workers must invest in skills beyond their current jobs. Online platforms now offer affordable training in entrepreneurship, digital marketing, agriculture, and financial literacy.
2. Build or Reform Cooperatives and Unions
Rather than abandon collective structures, workers should create transparent, accountable cooperatives or reform existing ones. In Ghana, some cocoa farmers are now forming independent cooperatives to bypass exploitative buyers.
3. Use Technology to Access Markets and Information
Mobile applications can now connect farmers, miners, and artisans directly to buyers, bypassing middlemen. Platforms like M-Farm (Kenya) help farmers access price information and sell collectively.
4. Demand Policy Inclusion
Workers can no longer be passive. They must organise, petition, and even run for local office to influence decisions that affect their sectors.
5. Develop Personal Financial Discipline
Even among low-income workers, adopting budgeting, saving, and investment strategies is possible. Village savings and loan associations (VSLAs) in countries such as Malawi and Mozambique have enabled rural women to start microenterprises.
Conclusion
The poverty of direct workers in Africa is not due to laziness or lack of effort. It is a result of systemic disempowerment, broken representation structures, and an unequal economic playing field. Reversing this trend requires a combination of education, organisation, innovation, and political will, both from within and outside the affected communities. If workers unite, adapt, and demand change, they can rewrite their story from survival to prosperity.
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