Asaga Bashes $600 Per Capita Income Claim

The President's claim that Ghana's Per- Capita GDP, which indicated national income per head at approximately 600 dollars has ignited controversy among economists.

The President indicated at a press conference held at the Castle on Tuesday, August 9, 2005, that per capita GDP figures as calculated by the World Bank was in the region of 600 dollars, an improvement from the figure of approximately 400 dollars his government inherited, noting that the Ghana Statistical Service has been unable to calculate the new figures because of its low capacity.

Speaking on the BREAKFAST SHOW of a local radio station - CITI, the Finance Minster, Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, conceded that the Ghana Statistical Service was the appropriate body mandated to calculate the Per Capita GDP.

But Moses Asaga disputed the claims by the President, noting that the apparent contradictions in his claims did not bode well for the economy. He was also unimpressed with the Minister of Finance's responses.

Mr Moses Asaga also criticised the Finance Minister for not properly briefing the President on the matter and rejected suggestions that the World Bank figures were more reliable than those of the Ghana Statistical Service.