CEO of the chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi has repeated calls for African countries to concentrate their efforts on value addition to natural resources.
He made this known at the just ended UK-Africa trade and Investment forum held in London on Sunday December, 17,2017.
Mr Hosi himself an award winner on the day argued for a paradigm shift in the way policy is shaped and promoted in Africa.
"Africa will definitely have to rise because he who is down must fear no fall,you have only one way going and that is up and while we prepare to start getting up as industry,the UK will have to determine where it wants to play and where it wants to stand in tomorrows Africa", the young CEO said.
He urged African states to channel their energies at adding value to gold,cocoa and oil.
"We shouldn't be talking about us exporting cocoa and importing chocolate. We can't keep exporting gold and importing jewelry. Why don't you come and participate in the game right down there and let's all export value and increase the value out there".
He challenged developed countries like the UK not to be heard only but to be seen to be part of the solution.
"The people who will identify with Africa's problems today,position and align themselves with Africa's issues today and stimulate its real growth,not its pretense of support will be those who define and influence better and yield the most return when Africa really becomes tomorrows economic frontier".
His remarks follow similar sentiments expressed by the world bank this year. The Breton wood agency blamed Africa's underdevelopment on the export of its raw materials.
The World Bank said Africa and for that matter, Ghana, has lagged behind among its counterparts in East Asia because of the regions' focus on export of raw materials.
Mr Hosi was among other African Ministers, diplomats and CEOs to be honored at the event in London.