 Good governance has always been linked to the development status of a country, and everybody knows that this is one quality that is sorely missing in the African continent. Recently, the list of African countries with the worst governance in 2024 was released by World Economics, and surprisingly not one of the military-led governments was on that list. I mean, with how the military governments of Neger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have been condemned in recent times as if they carry the worst plague on the planet, I would have thought that they would be on that list. However, it's the seemingly democratic and civilian countries, such as Nigeria, Chad, the DRC, and Central Africa Republic that are on the list. The World Economics Governance Index is a measure of a country's governance that uses four criteria, including political repression, human rights abuses, economic mismanagement, and conflict. This means that governance, corruption, perception, rule of law, press freedom, and political rights are all considered equally important factors in determining the overall governance score for a country. The index ranges from 0100 with higher values indicating better conditions. Now, in addition to releasing the list of African countries with the worst governance in 2024, World Economics also released the top 10 African countries with the best governance in 2024. And guess what? Burkina Faso, a military-led government, was on that list with a score of 51.8. This is great news considering the fact that military governments are considered the worst in the world. And it also points to the fact that Burkina Faso is on that list because of the leadership of one man, Captain Ibrahim Traore. Right from the beginning, Captain Traore proved himself with his passionate speeches that he was different from every other African leader who was content with the current situation. Immediately, he stepped into power. He began to identify the problems the country was facing and outline solutions to those problems. But he didn't stop there. He implemented and enforced those solutions. How many civilian African presidents have been able to do this? Instead, what most of these presidents do is to either find ways to exploit the problem to their own benefit or ignore the problem and focus on irrelevant things that do not benefit the nation in any way. Ibrahim Traore's approach to governance can be seen in the several actions and commitments he has taken since he assumed power. When he came to power, Traore observed that despite the fact that Burkina Faso was the largest producer of gold in Africa, it did not have its own refinery which meant that exporters of gold needed to first export raw gold or to Europe for it to be refined before selling the gold. This has led to a loss of wealth and opportunities for the country. All the leaders that came before Traore did not see this as a problem or even if they did, not one of them thought to offer a solution. Instead, they were content with the way things were. But Traore chose to be different. Instead of leaving things as it were, he went ahead to provide a solution which was to commission the construction of a gold refinery. In a few months from now, the gold refinery will be completed and gold will no longer be transported to Europe for refinement before it's sold. The gold refinery also ensures that job opportunities will be created and the value at which gold is sold in the country will also increase which will create wealth for the country. But Traore did not stop there. He also suspended the export of gold to other countries in a bid to organize the mining sector which has benefited foreigners more than the nation and construct a waste mining facility for mining residues which will create another value chain opportunity. How many African countries have had the initiative to do this? Take Nigeria, for example. The giant of Africa, which by the way is among the top 10 African countries with the worst governance index. As big as it is with its wealth and resources, there is not a single functional oil refinery which is its major export product in the country. For Nigeria to export its oil, it would have to send it to the US for it to be refined. And after which the US would sell the refined oil at a higher price back to Nigeria before the country would start selling its refined oil. Isn't that a shame and a disgrace? Yet no Nigerian president has ever thought to remedy this situation. Some people would say maybe it is because Nigeria does not have the financial and technical capacity to maintain the four oil refineries in the country. But that's a lie. The country has more than enough to maintain the refineries. But because it has weak and greedy leaders who only care for their bellies, that's why the situation is the way it is. Let's look at corruption. How has Traore handled corruption in Burkina Faso? Instead of leaving it in the hands of a few officials, Traore has decided to involve every citizen of the country in the fight against corruption. To this end, he issued a decree that empowers citizens to report any case of misconduct, treason, and corruption allegations directly to his office. The aim of this decree is to create a transparent and accountable government and to give citizens the courage to come forward with any information regarding illegal activities that may be happening within the government. To facilitate this process, Traore's administration provided a hotline number that connects directly to his office, which citizens can use to make any reports. According to Traore, this mixture will not only help to ensure that corruption is uprooted from every level of government, but also help to restore the people's trust in the government's ability. Now, what about food security and health in Burkina Faso? Did you know that Burkina Faso is a major player in tomato production and export in Africa? Yet, the country continues to import tomato paste to cater to the domestic demand. However, with Captain Traore in power, this will soon change because Traore decided to capitalize on Burkina Faso's production of tomatos and recently commissioned the construction of a state-of-the-art tomatu processing facility. This facility once completed will not only produce tomato paste for domestic consumption, but also generate job opportunities and, most importantly, help to achieve Burkina Faso's food security goals. Speaking of health, according to recent reports, the captain has taken up the initiative to build a state-of-the-art health facility worth $80 million, which will help to provide top-notch health care services to the Burkina Faso people. One striking move that Traore has made is collaborating with the private sector in all his plans and projects. This will help to ensure that the projects are carried out smoothly and without any unnecessary delays. One move in this direction is the introduction of public shareholding. Now, it's a well-known fact that assuming power through a coup led to the suspension of financial aid from the international community, which has led to a reduction in the Burkina Bay budget. So, how is Traore able to carry out all these projects financially? Aside from the revenue generated from the country's exports, Traore decided to involve the public by introducing shareholding, which involves the privatization of government holdings and projects. Moving in this direction, Traore put up 20% of the government's phone company for sale to the public, thereby providing the people of Burkina Bay the opportunity to invest in their country. And guess what? The plan was successful and resulted in generating $60 million in revenue, which was allocated to those critical projects. This forward-thinking approach by Captain Traore reveals his desire and commitment to creating a prosperous and equitable society for the citizens of Burkina Faso. It's less than three years since Traore came into power, but see how much he has accomplished, how many current African leaders can boast of this record. During a press conference, Traore made a surprising statement that caught the attention of journalists. He said that he would support and defend the rights of Burkina Bay's to protest, even if it means protesting against his own actions. He went further to add that he would do so because he sees himself as the servant of his people and, as such, it is his duty to put the interests of his people above his own. What a statement! How many African leaders can boldly come out to say that their citizens are free to protest against their actions? Instead, what we see over and over again is a situation whereby free speech is quickly quieted by the leaders. It's no wonder that Burkina Faso climbed up the ranks to the top 10 African governments with the best governance. No doubt in the next few years with Traore at its head, Burkina Faso will not be as it is today. Captain Traore is proof that good leadership is not based on whether it's democratic or not. In fact, it does not have anything to do with the style of government, rather it's the personality of the leader. What do you think differentiates Captain Traore from other African leaders? It's simply the fact that he is patriotic to the core. Most African leaders, and even the ordinary African citizens, are not loyal or patriotic. They do not care about the development and growth of their country. The only thing they care about is themselves. However, the great changes Africa is looking for will come when Africans learn to be patriotic. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments section below. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this video.