A lot of road construction photos are being placarded on Facebook under the narrative of national development. STOP IT. THEY ARE NOT!
PARTS OF MONROVIA are being given a face-lift and that's a good thing. But there's a sad reality that's creeping in: the electorates especially those who aren't on Facebook or who do not follow the social media intellectual pageantry on Facebook are celebrating these quick impact projects as development.
THESE QUICK IMPACT projects are not development. In fact, real ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT is no where in sight for the Weah government. Similarly, nothing has occurred to suggest that we will be experiencing any real ECONOMIC GROWTH soon.
CURRENTLY, conditions for economic development are either inactive or non-existent. Although an increase in the quality of life of citizens can indicate economic development, it has to be laced with factors such as increase in literacy rates, life expectancy and decrease in poverty rates.
IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT as to whether the country is experiencing economic development or not, look for the following:
❌ Increase in real income per head ❌ Increased literacy & education standards. ❌ Improved quality & availability of housing. ❌ Improved levels of environmental standards. ❌ Increased life expectancy.
CURRENTLY, none of the above exists to call for celebration of economic development.
SEPARATELY, a sustainable economic growth will be even harder to achieve because capital intensive projects that should be occurring during periods of economic expansion are being conducted during these periods of economic contractions.
FOR REAL ECONOMIC GROWTH to occur, the following conditions must be satisfied:
❌ An increase in capital and machinery. ❌ An improvement in technology and automation ❌ A discovery or exploration of new mineral deposits ❌ An increase in the number of people in the workforce or the quality of the workforce improves.
NOW, as you celebrate the pavement of a few community roads, ask yourself if any of the above has been achieved.
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