Neocolonialism is a reality in today’s Africa, which needs restructuring to start exporting products to other countries and stop begging for handouts, former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama told panafrican.email in an interview.

“Neocolonialism is one where the colonial power does not come and sit in your country to oppress you and usurp your sovereignty. Neocolonialism is where, despite being a free and independent country, there are constraints on your ability to determine your own values and direction of prosperity,” he explained.

African railway systems “are built only to the places where raw materials must be evacuated,” he noted.

“They were not built to benefit our people as a whole. And so, the issue of neocolonialism is a reality. It will take time to overcome,” Mahama said, adding that until the continent restructures, “Africa will always be at the receiving end, begging for handouts.”