Ghana’s Finance Minister, Hon. Mohammed Amin Anta speaking at the Second Quarterly Roundtable (QER) in Accra touted government’s strives made in the economy. He explained that the 2024 half-year economic growth of 5.8 per cent was 0.4 percentage points higher than the growth recorded in the same period five years ago.

The Finance Minister said the growth trajectory was now attracting multinationals, including those that left the country in difficult times such as Virgin Atlantic Airlines, to return with their investments.

“The fact is that the half-year growth of 5.8 per cent recorded this year is the highest in the last five years. It is fascinating to note that the growth of 4.8 per cent in quarter one and 6.9 per cent in quarter two was driven largely by industry and agriculture sectors. For quarter two, all three sectors, including services, drove the growth,” he stated.

“What this means is that we are back on track. It also means that our policies to support the private sector are having significant impact. Economic actors in these sectors are receiving needed support,” the minister further said

The QER, held in collaboration with the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER of the University of Ghana (UG), is meant to foster dialogue between policymakers and academia to promote policy formulation through research results.

The second edition is on the theme: “Driving economic growth through small and medium enterprises (SMEs)”.

Among the speakers and panelists included the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana (UG), Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo; Senior Country Manager for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone of the International Finance Corporation, Kyle Kelhofer; Economist and former Vice-Chancellor of UG, Emeritus Prof. Ernest Aryeetey; Director, ISSER, Prof. Peter Quartey; President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Dr Humphrey Kwesi Ayim-Darke, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Kosi Yankey-Ayeh.