Kufuor’s claim on per capita income & middle income status half-truth

Former President, John Agyekum Kufour’s claim about Ghana’s per capita income and middle income status were found to be half-true when fact-checked. He was speaking at the New Patriotic Party’s manifesto launch in Accra on October 09, 2016.

Claim 1: We can only fight poverty by creating wealth. We should not therefore shy away from wealth creation. From a highly indebted poor country with a per capita gross domestic product of $400 in 2001, we were able to attain lower middle income status with a per capita income of $1,300 by the year 2007.

Verdict: Half True

Explanation: Ex-President Kufuor was right to an extent in claiming that his government created wealth from the year 2001 to 2007. This was evidenced by the steady growth in per capita income recorded within the period. But, according to the World Bank, Ghana’s GDP per capita in 2001 was $275.5 and $1,099 in 2007. Ex-President Kufuor therefore understated the GDP per capita figure for 2001 and overstated for 2007.

Additionally, Ghana also officially attained lower Middle Income Country (MIC) status in November of 2010 and not in 2007.