<Li> The Akosombo Dam was built to supply electricity for the extraction of aluminium from bauxite . Unfortunately, Ghanaian ores turned out to be too low grade and the electricity is now used to process ores from other nations . </Li> <Li> Storage silos for the storage of cocoa were built to allow Ghana to take advantage of fluctuations in the commodity prices . Unfortunately, unprocessed cocoa does not react well to even short - term storage and the silos now sit empty . </Li> <P> Another example of misspent money is the Aswan High Dam . The dam was supposed to have modernized Egypt and Sudan immediately . Instead, the block of the natural flow of the Nile River meant that the Nile's natural supply of nitrate fertilizer and organic material was blocked . Now, about one - third of the dam's electric output goes directly into fertilizer production for what was previously the most fertile area on the planet . Moreover, the dam is silting up and may cease to serve any useful purpose within the next few centuries . In addition, the Mediterranean Sea is slowly becoming more saline as the Nile River previously provided it with most of its new fresh water influx . </P> <P> Corruption is also a major problem in the region, although it is certainly not universal or limited to Africa . Many native groups in Africa believe family relationships are more important than national identity, and people in authority often use nepotism and bribery for the benefit of their extended family group at the expense of their nations . To be fair, many corrupt governments often do better than authoritarian ones that replace them . Ethiopia is a good case study . Under Haile Selassie, corruption was rife and poverty rampant . However, after his overthrow, corruption was lessened, but then famine and military aggressiveness came to the fore . In any event, corruption both diverts aid money and foreign investment (which is usually sent to offshore banks outside of Africa), and puts a heavy burden on native populations forced to pay bribes to get basic government services . </P>

Discuss the causes of poverty in sub saharan african countries