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On November 03, 2024, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, outlined 12 reasons why the NPP is the better choice to lead Ghana, based on its performance over the past eight years.
Dr. Bawumia spoke at a Youth Connect Programme at the Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra, unveiling his vision for job creation to transform the Ghanaian economy.
Excerpts of the claims have since gone viral on social media with many handles tagging Fact-check to verify.
In this report, Fact-Check Ghana has verified these claims made by the Vice President, relying on data from credible sources such as the Ghana Statistical Service and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and presents the facts below.
Claim 1: Ghana is on the list of countries with Zero Hunger
Verdict: Completely False
Explanation: Zero Hunger is number 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. The goal is to create a world free of hunger by 2030. According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Ghana is ranked 66 out of 127 countries with a score of 13.9 and is considered part of the countries at moderate level. The Global Hunger Index does not provide a list of countries that have achieved zero hunger. Based on the available data, no country has fully attained this goal out of the 127 covered in the report, although several have made significant progress. The report highlights 22 countries with scores of less than 5; these countries were not assigned individual ranks but were collectively ranked from 1 to 22. However, even these 22 countries do not claim to have achieved zero hunger.
Therefore the claim that Ghana is on the list of countries with Zero Hunger is completely false.
Claim 2: Ghana has the 3rd highest food security in Africa. After South Africa and Kenya, Ghana is the third highest food security in Africa.
Verdict: Misleading
Explanation: The Global Food Security Index report is developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit and it assesses and monitors food security across different countries.The 2022 Food Security Food Index is a compilation of 11 years of research conducted between 2012 and 2022.
According to the Global Food Security Index, Ghana places 3rd out of the 28 Sub-Saharan Africa countries and is ranked 83rd out of 113 countries in the index, with an overall food security environment score of 52.6. The report states that Ghana’s strongest performance is in the Affordability pillar (59.9), and its weakest score is in Sustainability and Adaptation (45.1).
The Sub-Saharan Africa ranking does not include countries in North Africa. For instance, with this index, Ghana is rather 5th in the whole of Africa. Tunisia places second with Egypt coming third. The report also mentioned that “both Ghana’s overall performance and its individual pillar scores are below the global average.”
Therefore the claim Ghana is the 3rd in Africa in food security is misleading.
Claim 3: Ghana has the fastest-growing mobile money market in Africa.
Verdict: True but misleading
Explanation: According to the World Bank, Ghana is one of the countries with the fastest-growing mobile money market in Ghana. The State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2024 mentions how West Africa has emerged as the “mobile money’s new powerhouse” with the number of registered mobile money accounts doubling between 2013 and 2023, driven mostly by growth in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal. The report mentions Ghana as one of the fastest-growing mobile money markets in Africa but it was not specific on whether it is the fastest among the other well-performing countries.
Therefore the claim that Ghana is the fastest-growing mobile money market is true but Ghana is not the only country with the fastest-growing mobile money market in Africa. Ghana is among the fastest-growing, sharing this distinction with Nigeria and Senegal.
Claim 4: Ghana is ranked 3rd in terms of affordable internet rate
Verdict: False
Explanation: Cable.co.uk, a UK-based company that compares broadband, TV and data prices across the globe, ranked Ghana’s mobile internet data as the third cheapest in Africa with an average of $0.4 per 1 gigabyte. The report was cited by the National Communication Authority early this year in response to rising concerns on social media that data cost had become expensive. However, the UK-based firm’s report said mobile internet data and not the entire internet.
Per Cable.co.uk’s research, the average cost of broadband in Ghana is USD57.65, making Ghana one of the countries with a high average cost of broadband globally (141st position on the league table), 27th on the Sub-Saharan Africa league table and 33rd in Africa (when North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa are combined).
Also, Cable.co.uk produced the rankings from data it sampled from June to September 2023, using dollar rates as of September 7, 2023. However, since Sept. 2023, there has been an upward review of internet data prices. This includes MTN’s upward price review of 15% for most of its products including data and voices in November 2023 and February 2024. The Ghana cedis has also been depreciating, having dropped 14.6% against the dollar as of May 2024, according to the BoG.
Thus, it is Ghana’s mobile internet data is the third cheapest in Africa according to Cable.co.uk and not the general internet rate which includes broadband. Also, Cable.co.uk’s report may not currently be valid given there have been hikes in internet data cost prices since the report was released.
Claim 5: Ghana is the only country in Africa with 100 per cent access to financial inclusion in its population.
Verdict: Contradictory
Explanation: Dr Bawumia’s claim that Ghana is the only country in Africa with 100% financial inclusion in Ghana contradicts the mid-year budget statement presented by the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, on July 23, 2024.
According to the budget statement presented on the floor of parliament, the introduction of MMI has led to Ghana achieving 95% financial inclusion, not 100%.
Additionally, the Ghana Demand Side Survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), says it offers a credible benchmark for financial inclusion, guiding targeted strategies with empirical evidence.
The latest report, released in December 2022, indicated that 95% of the adult population (15 years and older) had access to financial services and products, largely driven by mobile money.
This data highlights an inconsistency between the government’s sources, as the exact percentage of financial inclusion remains at 95%, not the 100% claimed in the manifesto.
