The Ghana Statistical Service has clarified that the 5.7 percent economic growth recorded in 2024 was primarily driven by data and SMS usage under the Information and Communication Services sector.

This contradicts an earlier claim by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who, during the presentation of the 2025 budget, attributed the growth mainly to illegal small-scale mining, also known as galamsey.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, March 11, Government Statistician Professor Samuel Kobina Anim emphasized that the services sector contributed the most to the overall economic growth.

“Of the 5.7% growth rate that we saw in GDP, the services sector contributed the most, 2.51% of the 5.7% GDP growth rate that we saw for 2024.

“Followed by the industry sector, which mining and quarrying is part of, which gold is part of, contributed to 2.24% of that.

“Within the service sector, what is driving the service sector is information and communication. And in this case, it’s data and SMS messages that we are using,” he stated.