The Government has dismissed claims that Ghana is the most expensive country to live in Africa.
In a statement from the Ministry of Information signed by Deputy Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Government pointed out that assessing cost of living across nations is considered a scientific exercise and that it is worth noting that a reputable research organization known as Mercer which is a global reference point on this subject and a leader for trusted HR and related financial advice, products and services and has more than 19,000 employees serving clients in over 180 cities and 40 countries and territories worldwide has also gained international acceptability for its measurement of the world’s most expensive cities.
Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa said “when the Mercer International Basket puts Ghana nowhere near the most expensive countries in Africa or the world.
It said the latest research conducted by the same organization puts Luanda, Angola as the world’s most expensive city followed by Tokyo, Japan then N’Djamena, Chad and then Moscow, Russia in that order.
Discussions over the cost of living in Ghana became topical after former first Lady; Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings told a foreign delegation at her residence that Ghana is an expensive country to live in Africa.
The statement said Government welcomed the interest in cost of living as compared with other countries and assured that “government will continue on it social democratic path of building a better Ghana by assuring a stable currency, a favourable macro-economic environment, prudent spending in growth areas of the economy and the continuous cushioning of the vulnerable through interventions such as free school uniforms, free exercise books, 50% increase in the capitation grant, the LESDEP programme and the elimination of schools under trees”.
The statement concluded that Government will continue on this progressive path to ensure that the living conditions of Ghanaians coupled with our human development index are improved whilst also endeavouring to remain one of the best investment destinations in Africa even as the 2011 IFC World Bank Doing Business Report cited Ghana as a global best reformer in improving access to credit and still overall, the easiest place to do business in West Africa.
Source: citifmonline.com
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