Follow the numbers, not the propaganda

Election Years, invariabIy, tend to become Years of Accountability for incumbents. In Ghana, Projects completed, half-completed, sod-cutting, artistic impressions may be proclaimed as “unprecedented” achievements.

Admittedly, a major economic project in a locality may significantly influence votes in that locality. But the totality of projects nationally must inevitably reflect in the nation’s economic scorecard, so to speak.

NPP-Canada believes that looking at the numbers on the scorecard, across governments, as a way to evaluate comparative performance may be a more worthwhile exercise than pointing at the number of projects which may at best be described as an “exercise in mediocrity”.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period. A measure of economic growth from one period to another expressed as a percentage and adjusted for inflation (i.e. expressed in real as opposed to nominal terms ) may be looked at in terms of GDP growth numbers.

In the first of its series on “Follow the Numbers, Not the Propaganda”, NPP-Canada will look at Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth over the period 2000-2014.

Year GDP Growth (Constant Prices, National Currency)

2000 4.2

2001 4.5

2002 4.7

2003 5.1

2004 5.3

2005 6.0

2006 6.1

2007 6.5

2008 8.4

2009 4.0

2010 8.0

2011 15.0

2012 8.8

2013 7.6

2014 4.5

http://www.economywatch.com/economic-statistics/country/Ghana/

Under the NPP over the period 2001-2008, GDP growth was continuously ascendant starting at 4.2 and ending at 8.4. This was without oil. It was this impressive growth and consistency that helped move Ghana from the economic status of Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) to Middle Income (Lower Division) in 2006.

Ghana exported oil in commercial quantities for the first time in 2011. This caused a spike in the GDP growth rate recording a record 15% in 2011. Ever since then, it has been a race to the buttom.

Buoyed by Oil, if the NDC had maintained the same consistent growth rate as the NPP did (without Oil), Ghana should have by now been within striking distance of being classified as Middle Income (mid division).

Fellow Ghanaians, “Projects” Accounting has its place. But for purposes of National Elections and meaningful National Development, it is but (in the words of President Mahama) “an exercise in mediocrity”.

Let us follow the numbers, and not the propaganda. Ghana deserves much, much better than we have seen under the Mahama Administration. Let us Vote for Change, Let us Vote for Real Progress.

----signed---

Gilbert Adu Gyimah

Director of Communications, NPP/Canada

NPPCanada@outlook.com

www.nppcanada.org

Tel: 587-708-9915 / 647-800-3585