Survey: 6.4 Million Ghanaians are poor
About 6.4 million Ghanaians are poor. This is according to the latest Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS). The number represents about 24.2 per cent of the national population.
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The survey, conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), also revealed that 2.2 million people representing 8.4 per cent of the population, were extremely poor.
Presenting the facts on the Ghana Poverty Profile, which is part of the GLSS, an official of the GSS, Mr Francis Bright, indicated that the figure was, however, lower than that of the last survey in 2006, which had seven million classified as poor and 3.6 million as extremely poor.
According to him, Ghana had been experiencing a decline in poverty since 1991.
However, while all regions experienced a decrease in poverty, the Eastern Region recorded an increase of 17.8 per cent.
Ironically, the Eastern Region was the second richest region in the last survey in 2006.
The survey also had key findings in health, education, and employment.
Key findings
Currently, there are 6.6 million households in the country out of which 3656.5 are urban and 294.5 rural.
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According to the Head of Governance and Human Resource Development of GSS, Mr Emmanuel G. Ossei, who presented the findings on education and health, 20 per cent of the population who were 15 years and above, had never attended school. The number, which was higher for girls and women, represented 24.3 per cent of the population.
Additionally, it was discovered that the Brong Ahafo Region had the highest number of National Health Insurance coverage with 82.2 per cent, while the Greater Accra Region had the least with 58.3 per cent.
The health sector made strides in child health as the findings indicated that 98 per cent of children under five years of age received vaccination, while 99 per cent were breastfed.
Furthermore, 13.5 per cent of pregnancies did not result in live births in the last 12 months preceding the survey.
Again, only 3.5 per cent of the population visited the hospitals for random check-ups while 87.7 per cent had to see a doctor because they were sick.
On child labour, an official of GSS, Mr Owusu Kagya, stated that the Brong Ahafo and the Upper West regions recorded the highest proportion with 33.5 per cent as against the Greater Accra Region with 5.2 per cent.
Methodology
The survey took one year, from October 2012 to September 2013,during which 18,000 households in 1,200 enumeration areas were covered.
This is Ghana's sixth survey, with the first in 1987. The second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds were conducted in 1988, 1991 to 1992, 1998 to 1999, and 2005 to 2006, respectively.
Benefits
The living standards survey, according to the Ashanti Regional Statistician, Mr Samuel Brefo Darkwa, was important as it provided the government and other development partners with the information to take critical decisions affecting the development of the people and growth of the economy.
He said such a survey provided evidence for what actions needed to be taken to improve the lot of the people, particularly the marginalised.
Prelude
Prior to the dissemination of the findings, a workshop was organised for journalists in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, and Eastern regions to help them understand and appreciate the information and report more accurately on the findings.
Writer's email: naa.bentil@graphic.com.gh