Economic recovery must improve lives, not just statistics – Gideon Boako

Dr Gideon Boako, Member of Parliament for Tano North and Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, has argued that Ghana's economic recovery must lead to tangible improvements in citizens' lives rather than just higher macroeconomic indicators. He believes that economic performance should be judged by the experiences of ordinary Ghanaians like unemployed graduates, traders, farmers, contractors and households, instead of just figures like inflation, fiscal balances and economic growth.

Dr Boako stressed that citizens are more concerned about getting jobs, running businesses, having good roads and fulfilling daily needs than positive statistics in government reports. He emphasized that voters are not swayed by economic statistics but by the prospect of better lives. The real verdict on the economy, according to Dr Boako, will be based on the struggles of an unemployed graduate looking for work, a trader trying to keep her business alive, a contractor waiting to be paid, a farmer facing poor roads, and every Ghanaian family still waiting for the promised economic recovery to benefit them.

Dr Boako urged Ghana to shift from merely achieving headline economic improvements towards inclusive and broad-based growth that creates opportunities and raises living standards. He argued that sustainable economic stability should lay the foundation for stronger productivity, employment and better livelihoods, rather than being an achievement in itself.

Dr Boako stressed that without strong and sustainable economic stability, growth without visible progress will remain an incomplete success, and Ghana cannot achieve broad-based, shared and inclusive growth.