The economy is good on paper but not yet reflected in the pocket — Elvis Darko

The Managing News Editor of the Newscaneta newspaper, Elvis Darko, has said Ghana's improving macroeconomic indicators have yet to translate into better living conditions for ordinary citizens.

The economy, according to the recent Mid-Year Budget Review presented by the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has recorded gains in inflation, currency stability, foreign reserves and other key indicators.

Reacting to the development on Accra-based Channel One TV's Breakfast Daily on Monday, July 27, the journalist argued that the true measure of an economy lies in the lived experiences of citizens rather than statistical improvements.

He stressed that while the government's economic data may point to progress, many Ghanaians are yet to feel the impact in their daily lives, insisting that rising or falling economic indicators alone do not define the wellbeing of a population.

According to him, issues such as the cost of living, household incomes and people's ability to meet their basic needs remain the ultimate test of whether the economy is truly improving.

"The bottom line is that the government is presiding over people of the country. The question is: what the minister read, is it the same feeling among the public, or the public have a different feeling of what the economy is?" he asked.

Darko stressed that although the Finance Minister's figures may satisfy economic assessments, the government would ultimately be judged by whether citizens experience tangible improvements in their standard of living.