Minister of Finance Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said on Friday that traders are not struggling to sell goods, dismissing reports of weak consumer demand as propaganda. He argued that economic indicators show growth in the trade sector and that the country’s economy is performing well despite concerns over trading conditions.
Speaking to students and the university community at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr Forson maintained that claims of declining sales were not backed by empirical evidence. He added that market women could attest to improvements in the affordability of goods and services, noting that falling prices are gradually boosting consumers’ purchasing power.
"If you look carefully at the growth numbers, the GDP growth numbers, and analyze it carefully. You see that trade is growing. Trade is growing and what is being said is not supported by empirical evidence," he said. "Economy is doing well. When you go and speak to market women, they will tell you that prices of goods and services are coming down and people can now buy food at the minimum unlike yesterday."
Dr Forson also warned against returning to unsustainable borrowing practices that could undermine the country’s economic stability. He urged those questioning the economy’s performance to examine the GDP growth figures, insisting that the data point to growth in the trade sector.
What to watch: The government will continue to monitor trade indicators and adjust fiscal policy to support productive sectors, while opposition voices may push for further market reforms.
