No to “TIA”, this is Africa:

Effective and Timely Communication;

Among other things, effective and timely communication (formal) is by far the most important component of any endeavor. Its importance spans long before the initiation and stays long after the closeout, more than other components, if we consider the case for projects, However; we Africans, most often, overlooked the importance of effective and timely communication and pay unnecessary prices, as the old adage goes “time is money, and then waste time is waste money”.

Throughout the continent, policy issues and reforms are talked so much in the case of investments as setbacks, nevertheless; within the boundaries of the workable platforms themselves, effective and timely communication remains a barrier but gets no much attention.

Just take a look at our paper trees, lied on our polished tables, stacked with letters awaiting our confirmation, authorization, permission, or may be go ahead instruction; just imagine how much hours, days, weeks and even months elapsed since they have been there and are counting on our accounts, directly or indirectly; just imagine how much we discouraged, disappointed, or let others/partners, investors, donors etc. who come to the continent with a lot of effort and cost / bear unnecessary expenses due to late responses; just imagine how much idle labor hours we observe around our offices on a daily basis, which otherwise would have contributed much to the economy, for unnecessary procedures.

When projects fail to meet deadlines, if it is in Africa, ‘TIA, this is Africa’, takes control of the situation irrespective of the possible causes and it has been the accepted norm for so long.

When do we change that, and be able to communicate effectively and timely? When do we open our channels and renew our names in regards to communication? When is the time, every one of us care for every other’s time, and give timely responses?

I believe it should be right now and onwards. We are at the age of communication. By hook or by crook, whether we call it revolution, change or transformation, the norm should be changed before it costs the next generations of Africans as well. No more ‘TIA’, either.