By Gloria Ikibah
The Fourth Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Billay Tunkara, has said that African countries need to do more than just extract raw materials—they must also process them locally to create jobs for their people.
Speaking to journalists on the sideline of a regional parliamentary meeting in Monrovia, which focused on unemployment in West Africa, Tunkara explained that the region loses out on major job opportunities by sending out raw materials without processing them. 
He noted that this pattern, which dates back to colonial times, still continues today. According to him, minerals, oil, and other raw materials are often exported to other continents where they are processed—creating employment there, while West African nations continue to face rising joblessness.
Tunkara also warned that relying only on the export of unprocessed resources limits economic growth. He urged African governments to take strong steps to connect the different stages of production—from raw material extraction to manufacturing and services.
He said that adding value within the continent is not only possible but necessary if Africa is to reduce unemployment and build a more stable economy for future generations.
