Hand to mouth
The Ghana Multidimensional Poverty Report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reveals that 24.3% of Ghanaians, about 7.3 million people, are multidimensionally poor, with 43.8% facing severe poverty. The poverty rates are similar in rural (44.0%) and urban (43.4%) areas. Key contributing factors are the educational attainment of household heads, employment (32.6%), and living conditions (27.9%). The regions with the highest poverty levels are Savannah (49.5%), North East (48.1%), Upper East (43.0%), Oti (40.8%), Northern (38.4%), Upper West (37.4%), Volta (27.3%), Western North (27.0%), and Western (25.7%).
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In Ghana, multidimensional poverty is a significant concern, with approximately 24.3% of the sampled household population classified as multidimensionally poor. This classification indicates a deprivation in essential living conditions, including access to clean water, reliable fuel, adequate housing, and electricity. These living conditions are just one of the four critical indicators used to determine multidimensional poverty in Ghana. The other key indicators contributing to multidimensional poverty include education, health, and employment. When considering these factors, about 24.3% of Ghana’s household population falls under the category of multidimensionally poor. This statistic highlights the extent of deprivation experienced across multiple dimensions simultaneously. Among those considered poor, a staggering 44% endure severe poverty, suffering from deprivations in several dimensions concurrently. Geographically, multidimensional poverty in Ghana is most pronounced in the northern regions. The top six regions with the highest rates of multidimensional poverty are in the northern part of the country. Each region reports a poverty rate exceeding 37%, significantly higher than the national average of 24.3%. This paints a near-perfect picture of disparities in the distribution of social amenities and resources across the length and breadth of the country, where the majority is concentrated in the southern part. The Ashanti region, located in central Ghana and home to Kumasi, the country’s second most populous city, records the highest number of multi-dimensionally poor individuals. This high rate is partly due to the region’s exposure to internal migration. People from the northern and southern parts of Ghana move to the Ashanti region in search of better opportunities, often leading to overcrowding and increased competition for limited resources.
