ABSTRACT

In this study we explored the link between political leadership and persisting economic problems in sub- Saharan Africa. Primarily, we interrogated the following questions: Is there a link between persisting economic crises and incompetence on the part of political leadership in sub- Saharan Africa between 1960 and 2009? Do leadership problems in sub – Saharan Africa lead to poor integration of the region’s economies into the global economy in the period under study? Is leadership failure responsible for poor interstate relation in sub- Saharan Africa ? This study was discussed under the perspective prism of Marxian political economy as expounded by Karl Marx. In this study we put forward the following hypotheses for testing: There is a link between incompetence on the part of political leadership and persisting economic crises in sub- Saharan Africa between 1960 and 2009. Leadership problems in sub – Saharan Africa lead to poor integration of the region’s economies into the global economy in the period under study. Leadership failure is responsible for the poor inter- state relation in sub- Saharan Africa. These hypotheses were tested in chapters two, three and four respectively. The chapter five contains the summary and conclusion

TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page………………………………………………………………………………….ii Approval Page………………………………………………………………………………iii Dedication…………………………………………………………………………….……iv Acknowledgement………..…………………………………………………………………v Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………..vi List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………….ix List of Acronyms……………………………………………………………………………x Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………1 1.1 Statement of Problem…………………………………………..…………………….3 1.2 Objectives of Study……………………………………………………………………6 1.3 Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………6 1.4 Literature Review…………………………………………………………….………..7 1.5 Theoretical Framework……………………………………………………….…….17 1.6 Hypotheses ………………………………………………………………………….21 1.7 Method of Data Collection and Analysis………………………..……………..…….22 1.8 Reliability and Validity……………………………………………………….. …….22 CHAPTER TWO: POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND PERSISTING ECONOMIC CRISIS……………………..………………..…….24 2.1 Leadership Qualities and Economic Problem of Sub-Saharan Africa……………………………………………………………… ….……….24 2.2 Causes of Leadership Crises in SSA Countries since 1960………… ….….. 26 2.3 Impacts of Leadership Crises on Economic Development of SSA Countries……………………………………………………………………..29 2.4 Specific Leadership and Development Crises in Selected Sub-Saharan States……………………………………………………………33 2.5 Leadership Crises and Incidence of Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa……………………………………………………………..……………36 2.6 Link between bad leadership, failed states and economic crises………….… 41 2.7 New censure for African Leadership and Development Crises ……………….42 2.8 Political Leadership, Fiscal and Monetary Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa……………………………………………….……………45 2.9 Macro Economic Adjustment and Leadership failure………………………….49 CHAPTER THREE: POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION……………..……………. 52 3.1 Sub-Saharan Africa Share of Global Trade …………………………………52 3.2 Membership of Sub-Saharan African States to International Financial Institutions……………………………………………………………………57 3.3 Status of Sub-Saharan African States in World Trade Organization………….58 3.4 Political Leadership and Global Competitiveness………………..……………60 3.5 Reasons for Poor Integration of SSA Economies………………………………63 CHAPTER FOUR: POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND INTER-STATE RELATIONS ……………………………………………………..66 4.1 Structure of Interstate Relations in Sub-Saharan Africa ………………………..66 4.2 Economic Relations within SSA Countries………………………………………72 4.3 Political Leadership and Policy Inconsistency in SSA…………………………….75 4.4 Political Leadership and Crises of South-South Cooperation……………….…….77 4.5 From Organization of African Unity to African Union: Lessons fromEuropean Union…………………………………………………………………….78

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION……………………………80 5.1 Summary……………………………………………………………………………80 5.2 Conclusions………………………………………………………………………….82 5.3 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………83 BIBLIOGRAPHY……..………………………………………………………..………85 Appendix 1 Appendix 2