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Civil society activist, Edmond Abu a civil society has shed light on the impact of harmful drugs on economic growth and development in a Facebook post.
Abu said that economic debates at global forums often celebrate headline GDP numbers while overlooking what truly improves people’s lives. He added that growth measures the size of output while development measures whether that output translates into safer streets, better health, reliable education, affordable living, and lasting opportunity.
He noted that people often confuse growth for development and went further to explain why resource-rich African states remain poor in living standards despite enormous mineral wealth.
“The Top 6 world economies for 2025; USA 30.15 Trillion (T), China 19.23 T, Germany 4.74 T, India 4.19 T, Japan 4.18 T, Russia 2.01 T”, Abu referenced the index.
He clarified that growth is quantitative.
He said high GDP or rapid growth shows who produces the most or expands fastest, but it does not reveal how income is distributed, whether public services reach citizens, or whether lives are healthier, safer, and longer.
“DR Congo is rich but with no peace. So meaning by wealth; China, India, Russia are wealthier by their GDP Growth rate, but in reality you can’t compare their living standard to Norway, Australia Sweden Germany et al,” Abu said.
He furthered by noting that development is qualitative and multidimensional.
“It is the sustainable improvement in citizens’ living standards, measured by indicators such as the Human Development Index, food security, health outcomes, education quality, infrastructure access, cost of living, and public safety,” he said. True development requires institutions, trust, and services that let people convert national wealth into better everyday lives.
Abu’s comment comes at a time when global for third world countries like Sierra Leone is shrinking. The World Bank’s investment in Sierra Leone this year is at an all-time low, mirroring global trends in aid resources from global powers like the US, UK and Denmark.
While Africa is $ 20T worth in mineral, making the richest continent in mineral wealth, with 1.4 Billion population almost the size of India, with 54 States, the continent remains poorest. This analogy is also referenced as a fact by Abu.
He advised that since economic growth is necessary but not sufficient, leaders must shift the national objective from accumulating bigger numbers to producing better lives.
“When leadership channels revenues, institutions, and policy toward the drivers listed above, resource wealth becomes a springboard for sustainable development rather than a badge of unshared prosperity,” he ended.
