NDC’S SUPERIOR GDP RECORD

BY: DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE (DC)

DATE
26/08/16

PERSON/INSTITUTION
John Boadu, Acting General Secretary of the NPP on Asempa FM after the Party’s Press Conference

ISSUE/SUBJECT MATTER
Economic Performance, i.e GDP Growth Rate

CLAIMS
►GDP growth rate under NPP was 8.4%

►GDP growth rate under NDC is 4.9%

►NPP is better in economic performance

THE FACTS
►The above numbers are correct

OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
►NPP selects a single year of the party’s GDP growth (8.4% in 2008)

►Again, it selects a single year of NDC’s GDP growth (4.9% in 2016)

►Then proceeds to draw conclusion of the party’s better economic performance compared to the NDC

►Above conclusion is erroneous and disingenuous.

►Economic performances over certain time frames are measured in averages.

►Therefore, the comparison must be made using the 8-year period of the NPP to the 8-year period of the NDC, which is 5.8% and 7.3% respectively.

►Besides, 4.9% of a larger economy (Gh¢133.34 billion as of June 2015) is greater than 8.4% of a smaller economy (Gh¢30.179 billion in 2008).

►That is why Ghana and many other developing countries cannot be seen to be doing better economically, than most developed nations who are currently growing under 2%.

►Also, highest growth under NPP was 8.4% in 2008 and highest growth under NDC was 15.0% in 2011.

SUPPORTING FACTS

NOTE:

GHANA’S GDP GROWTH RATE FROM 2001 TO 2016

2001-2008 (NPP)​​​​​​
2001​ – 4.0%​​​​​​
2002​ – 4.50%
2003​ – 5.20%​​​​​​
2004​ – 5.6%
2005​ – 5.9%
2006​ – 6.4%
2007​ – 6.5%​​​​​​
2008​ – 8.4% (Highest)

TOTAL – 46.5%/8yrs = 5.8%

2009-2016 (NDC)
2009​ – 4.0%
​​​​​​2010​ – 8.0%
2011​ – 15.0% (Highest)
​​​​​​2012​ – 8.8%
​​​​​​2013​ – 7.6%
​​​​​​2014​ – 6.9%
2015​ – 3.9%
​​2015 – 4.9%

TOTAL​ – 59.1%/8yrs = 7.3%