Denying Ghana’s growth since independence is great disservice - Prof Botchwey

Ghana is 65 years

Ghana is still a middle-income country, Prof Botchwey

Prof Botchwey delivers Independence Day lecture


A former Finance Minister, Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, has stated that Ghana has made significant growth since the attainment of independence.

He wants commentators on the country’s economic state to cut the country some slack.

According to him,

Read full articlethe country has made a lot of progress even though it could be much better.

“We’ve come a very long way in our development journey as a nation since independence. Of course, we have made progress since then, a lot of it. To deny this is to do a great disservice. We have grown our GDP significantly, even our HDI has seen some improvements.”

“Behind all the sounds and furious claims and counter claims; which may not be borne out of facts, we clearly have not succeeded in liberating our full potential as a nation.”

Prof. Botchwey made these comments while delivering a public lecture on the theme, ‘On the State of the Nation’s Economy and Politics: 65 years after independence – The Path to Sustainable Development and Democratic Consolidation.’

He compared Ghana to other countries who are doing well.

“The countries with whom we started the development race are now knocking on the doors of the first world while we desperately cling to the more ranks of middle-income,” he added.

The lecture was organised by the OneGhana Movement in partnership with the University of Ghana Department of Economics and School of Social Sciences to provide a constructive platform for engaging and shaping solutions for the socio-economic challenges and prospects of Ghana.