GDP alone cannot determine people’s well-being – Nana Konadu

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Ghana’s Former First Lady and President of the 31st December Women’s Movement, has argued that a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) alone could not be a gauge for the wellbeing of its people.

She said GDP, as a measure of economic growth and progress, did not necessarily reflect the life and wellbeing of the people, because whilst there was an economic boom in some African countries, the actual did not match the narratives.

Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings, who was speaking at a lecture at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in the United States last Tuesday, said in some African countries poverty had increased in spite of GDP growth.

The lecture has the topic; “Development, Politics and National Government – Impact on African Women.”

She said the challenge was that 61 per cent of Africans still lived below the  two-dollar poverty line, with the majority being women, despite the continent’s economic growth, adding that there was the need for inclusion and opportunity, jobs and equal access to healthcare and education.

A statement from the office of the former First Lady quoted her as saying that African nations should give priority to education because it was the most important means of equipping individuals with the necessary nation-building skills.

She said it was imperative and a moral need for all African countries to prioritise education to empower the people.

The Thunderbird School of Global Management, commonly referred to as “Thunderbird,” offers graduate coursework for executives, full and part time students as well as for distance learners. It is considered the oldest graduate programme specialising in international business.

Founded in 1946, and located in Glendale, Arizona, Thunderbird School of Global Management is consistently ranked as a top 10 school for International Management Studies.

Source: GNA