Imo: Shared Prosperity As Against Share The Money

OGU BUNDU NWADIKE, M.A

At the outset of his flourishing and blossoming 3R administration, the Executive Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, assured Ndimo that his tenure will be a period of shared prosperity.

In the beginning, it didn’t mean much to the people. Shared prosperity only reminded them of the obnoxious past experience of “share the money”, which was the illicit mantra of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the State, when they were in Douglas House!

But near two years after, Ndimo have been able to distill and distinguish “shared prosperity” and “share the money”. There’s a difference. And the difference is clear. Shared prosperity isn’t share the money.

One, while all money is prosperity, it’s not all prosperity that’s money. In fact, money is probably the weak link in the scaling of prosperity. Money is selfish but prosperity is equitable and egalitarian.

That’s why it was ingenious of Governor Hope Uzodimma to invoke the spirit of “shared prosperity”. There’s more to prosperity than money. And he must have envisioned a day when Ndimo will be prosperous in many ways other than physical cash.

Now to the specifics. A peaceful, safe and secure society and environment is prosperity. Cleanliness is next to godliness. A clean environment is prosperity. Good health is prosperity. In fact, it’s said that health is wealth. Good roads are prosperity nuggets. Then, of course, money either as salary, pension or profit is prosperity. Joy and happiness are evidences of prosperity.

This is clear departure from the past era when physical cash belonging to the State and the people were apportioned among the governor and his appointees. That left the growth and development of the State in a bad condition. Those are years that are better forgotten, so that the current government’s policy of shared prosperity can be fully enjoyed.

As we count down to the end of the year 2021, we pray that all the plans, policies, programmes and projects line up by Governor Uzodimma to institute the Shared Prosperity vision will come to light for the overall benefit of Ndimo at home and abroad!

By God’s grace, Imo State must be rehabilitated, reconstructed and recovered!!