Ghana 2013 economic growth seen at 7.4 percent

Ghana's economy grew 6.5 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2013 and its provisional full-year growth is seen at 7.4 percent, the West African country's national statistics office said on Wednesday.

Ghana finance minister, Terkper

   The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast last week that the gold-, cocoa-and oil-producing nation's gross domestic product (GDP) would grow 7 percent in 2013, less than the 8 percent the government predicts.
   Philomena Nyarko, Ghana's government statistician told a news conference in the capital Accra that it was possible for Ghana to achieve the government's targeted growth in 2013 on expected increases in oil production.
   Non-oil GDP was 5.8 pct, while the total value and services amounted to $44.2 billion with a per capita income of $1,667, she said.
   "The services sector recorded the highest growth of 9.2 percent, followed by the industry sector 2.5 pct while the agriculture sector showed a negative growth of 3.9 percent," Nyarko said.
   The statistics office separately said on Wednesday that Ghana's annual producer price inflation, fell for the fifth consecutive month to 4.7 percent year-on-year in August from 5.0 percent in July.