Kufuor Becoming Habitual Liar

...Like Kwamena Bartels

It looks like President Kufuor is becoming a habitual liar. In fact, it is now clear that our President cannot stop lying.

In his State of the Nation address on February 8, this year, the President deceived the whole nation by telling Ghanaians that remittances from Ghanaians living abroad totalled four billion dollars.

However, a World Bank report sighted by this newspaper has revealed that the total remittance from Sub Saharan Africa Citizens abroad totalled 7,464 billion dollars in 2006

There are 16 countries within the sub-region. If Ghana alone should earn four billion dollars, then what about countries like Nigeria, where the population is three times that of Ghana? What about the other countries within the sub-region.

Does that mean Ghana has the highest number of citizens living abroad?

Of course not ! Nigerian citizens abroad are three times that of Ghana and therefore it cannot be true.

Does President Kufuor want to tell us that remittances from the remaining 15 countries, put together, is lower than what Ghana alone received?

Where and how did they come by the figure?

The President's speech writters are becoming lazy, they are not researching, they sit down in their offices and writ anything for the president to read to Ghanaians.

It seems the President and his government are throwing figures about to convince Ghanaians that the economy is growing well, when all is not well.

Workers' Remittances,

Compensation of

Employees and migrant

Transfers (US$ million)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Low-income countries 25,897 32,048 39,572 40,534 45,815 46,765

Middle income countries 70,451 84,649 105,444 122,642 142,366 152,313

Lower MICs 48,079 61,485 75,319 86,076 96,325 101,194

Upper MICs 22,372 23,164 30,125 36,566 47,030 51,119

East Asia and Pacific 20,105 29,476 36,309 38,774 43,934 45,317

Europe and Central Asia 12,980 14,386 17,299 22,691 30,812 32,377