Fact-Check Ghana has debunked recent claims made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo concerning food security and economic growth during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2024.
In his address, President Akufo-Addo highlighted the achievements of the government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme, asserting that it had significantly improved food security and driven economic growth in Ghana. However, an investigation by Fact-Check Ghana has found these assertions to be false.
Claim: “We have also taken significant steps to boost food security and economic growth through the programme planting for food and jobs.”
Verdict: False
Explanation: This claim was also reiterated in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 Manifesto, unveiled on August 18, 2024, in the Western Region. However, Fact-Check Ghana, which previously examined this statement, found no substantial evidence to support it.
A review of the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which evaluates 113 countries based on criteria such as food affordability, availability, quality, and safety, shows that Ghana has not seen consistent improvements in food security under the current administration. Despite significant investments in the agricultural sector through various government interventions, Ghana’s food security indicators have not aligned with the progress claimed by the President.
Below is a table summarizing Ghana’s rankings from 2013 to 2022 in the GFSI:
Data indicates that Ghana has not experienced consistent improvement in food security under the Akufo-Addo administration, despite efforts such as the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative. While there was a notable peak in food security rankings in 2019, Ghana’s performance has declined since 2020. By 2022, the country ranked 83rd out of 113 nations in the Global Food Security Index.
This suggests that the PFJ program has not substantially impacted the nation’s food security over the years, challenging claims of success tied to the initiative during Akufo-Addo’s presidency.
To assess President Akufo-Addo’s assertion of economic growth resulting from the PFJ initiative, Fact-Check Ghana analyzed data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the authoritative body responsible for compiling the nation’s economic figures.
Below is a summary of Ghana’s GDP growth rates from 2013 to 2024, based on official GSS data.
According to data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), economic growth under President Akufo-Addo’s administration has been erratic. The highest growth rate was recorded in 2017, with an impressive 8.1%, but since then, the economy has experienced fluctuations. In 2020, there was a significant downturn, with growth plummeting to just 0.4%, largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. While there were some recovery efforts post-2020, overall economic growth has not remained steady or sustained.
In light of these statistics, President Akufo-Addo’s claim during the UN General Assembly that his government has made “significant steps” in improving food security and economic growth through the Planting for Food and Jobs program appears questionable. Data from the Global Food Security Index indicates that there has not been consistent progress in food security, while the GSS’s economic data further highlights the inconsistencies in the nation’s growth trajectory under his administration. Consequently, these claims do not align with the available evidence.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
Join our WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakDz4u9RZATWh53yC1a
