Bono: 'Keep aid money out of politicians' pockets'

Pop star and activist Bono called today for African media and civil society organisations to ensure that hard-fought debt relief money doesn’t end up in politicians’ pockets.

Bono, a leading advocate for cancelling developing countries’ debts, said such campaigns would achieve nothing if leaders are not held accountable to ensure that they use the resources to improve the life of the ordinary people.

“It is your responsibility – the civil society, including you, the media, to help the people reap the maximum benefits from these gains,” the U2 frontman said while touring a community clinic in a low-income suburb of Ghana’s capital of Accra.

Bono is near the end of a 10-day tour of the continent that’s included stops in South Africa, Rwanda, Lesotho, Tanzania and Mali.

He called the Accra suburb of Nima an example of an area that is seeing improvements from increased infrastructure, pointing out a public toilet and a vendor of mobile phone calling cards – an indicator that residents have some disposable income.

Ghana was one of 19 poor countries approved for a share of 3.3 billion dollars in debt relief by the International Monetary Fund late last year.

Bono leaves Africa tomorrow for the US.