'It's backed by data' — Local gov't Minister clarifies his 'Ghana's poverty level is better than US' comment

Deputy Minister for Local Government, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has clarified his recent comments that Ghana's poverty levels are better than the United States.

In an interview with Johnnie Hughes on 3FM, the Deputy Minister referenced a report from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) which indicates a significant reduction in poverty levels in Ghana, from 22.5% in 2020 to 11.7%.

"Thanks to the government’s interventions, policies, and projects, poverty levels have dropped from 22.5% to 11.7%. This is according to the Ghana Statistical Service," Assafuah stated.

He emphasized that “while poverty still exists in Ghana, there has been a marked improvement due to government efforts over the past four years.”

He further added, “The poverty levels in Ghana are far better than what we have in the US.”

However, Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah has since clarified his statement.

Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, the Deputy Minister explained that his intention was to highlight the prevalence of poverty globally and the impact of data-driven policies in Ghana.

"There is poverty everywhere. We are not the ones saying it; the data supports it," he said.

He added, “About 37.5 million people in the United States live in poverty. There is poverty everywhere . . . and we are not the ones saying it; the data supports it."

"This is true; you cannot do anything about it," Assafuah concluded.