Anthony
Abayifa Karbo, Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), has slammed the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) for
attempting to challenge the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s running mate Dr.
Mahamadu Bawumia over questions raised about inflation figures released
by the institution and their jaundiced assessment of the latter's
lecture on the current state of the economy.
Dr. Bawumia, delivering a lecture at the Central University College
on Tuesday, pointed out some inconsistencies with the two main sets of
data - inflation and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - on which the
country is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He indicated that the anchor won't hold if the data provided is not credible.
"Mr.
Chairman...Credible data provides the basis of the analytical framework
to respond adequately to economic challenges. If you have make-believe
data you will end up with counterproductive or inadequate responses to
economic policies. If your data is not credible, the anchor cannot hold.
With make-believe data as the basis, the best you can achieve is
make-believe results which will soon be exposed as we are witnessing
currently,” Dr. Bawumia said while speaking on the topic: “The IMF Bailout, Will the Anchor Hold?”.
Less
than 48hrs after his economic lecture, the GSS, in a formal response to
Bawumia's criticisms at a press conference organized Thursday faulted
Bawumia’s analysis of food price inflation and largely criticized him
for failing to crosscheck facts and figures with relevant bodies.
The
Service however admitted some portions of the Dr. Bawumia's statements
as being on point, and conceded putting up erroneous data on its
website.
Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo",
Anthony Karbo called on the GSS to bow its head in shame for hastily
criticizing Dr. Bawumia knowing very well that their data was wrong.
According
to him, Dr. Bawumia did a thorough research before putting out the
facts and such a personality with a credible pedigree will always ensure
he unearths the truth.
He further noted that Dr. Bawumia's analyses are indeed a true reflection of the GSS statistics on the economy on its website.
“This
data that Dr. Bawumia used to make his analysis, he didn’t fetch it
from Makola. He didn’t fetch it from Kantamanto. He took it from the
Ghana Statistical Service. The information he used, with reference to
Ministry of Agric; he didn’t go to Palugu Tomato Factory to get such
information or Bolga Meat Factory for the information. He went to for
Ministry of Agriculture’s own data.
“Look at the sort of
crises the country went through in 2014. 31% depreciation of the
currency, massive load-shedding and then they say that we recorded a
growth rate of 6.9. Now, in 2015, they still came out to say that the
growth rate has declined to 3.9 in 2015 and at the same time, they claim
that that growth rate which declined to 3.9, the country is recovering.
How can a nation recover with a growth rate of 3.9 when it fell from
6.9 to 3.9; you describe that as recovery?”
Karbo therefore
advised the incumbent government not to quickly jump to defend
themselves but rather pay rapt attention to Dr. Bawumia whenever he
speaks.
“Anytime Dr. Bawumia speaks, government and its
functionaries; they must sit down, listen carefully, read the text he
sets on board and the contents of it including the things which will
help the country,” he added.
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