Government Statistician, Dr Philomena Nyarko has stated that social intervention programmes must be deepened in highly affected areas in the Volta, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper West and Upper West regions in order to reduce poverty.
Dr Nyarko made the appeal during the launch of a second Ghana Poverty Mapping report recently in Accra.
The poverty indicators in the current report have been computed based on data from the 2010 Population and Housing Census (2010 PHC) and the 2012/2013 Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS6).
The report presents the poverty headcount, depth and inequality for all the 216 districts and 29 sub-districts in the country.
Dr Nyarko, who was assisted by Prof Peter Quartey of ISSER, also called for special studies to be undertaken to clarify the causes of poverty in the country.
Findings in brief
The report indicated that there was still a high incidence of poverty in the north western part of the country. Though the incidence of poverty in the south western part was very low, there were however few districts with relatively high incidence.
Among all the districts of Ghana, East Gonja in the Northern region stood out as the district with the most of poor persons.
Districts in Southern Ghana, on the other hand, showed low concentration of poor persons. There were few districts with high number of poor persons, but these could not be compared to what pertained in districts in the northern part of Ghana.
Regional poverty rankings
Western Region
Wassa Amanfi Central has the highest poverty headcount in the Western Region at 51.9 percent followed by Bodi (42.5 percent) and Mpohor (40.4 percent) districts. The three districts also have high poverty depth of 17.1 percent for Wassa Amenfi Central; 13.7 percent for Bodi and 12.1 percent for Mpohor while Suaman, Wassa Amenfi West and Aowin districts have the lowest poverty headcounts at 6.0 percent, 6.9 percent and 8.9 percent respectively.
Central
The poverty incidence in the Central Region is highest in the Ekumfi District (48.4 percent) followed by Awutu Senya District (33.6 percent) and Upper Denkyira East Municipal (30.6 percent. Cape Coast Metrolpolis (2.6 percent, Upper Denkyira West District (3.3 percent) and Agona West Municipal (4.4 percent) have the lowest incidence of poverty in the region.
Greater Accra
La Dade Kotopon Municipal (1.3 percent), Accra Metrolpolis (2.5 percent) and La Nkwatanang Madina District (2.8 percent) have the lowest poverty incidence in the region with the highest being observed in Shai Osudoku District (55.1 percent), Ningo Prampram District (31.2 percent). Shai Osudoku and Ningo Prampram also have high poverty depths at 23.2 percent and 10.1 percent in that order.
Volta
Adaklu (89.1 percent), Kadjebi (66.8 percent) and Agotime Ziope (62.1 percent) are the districts mostly afflicted by poverty with the depth of poverty for Adaklu recording 46.9 percent and Agotime Ziope (30.1 percent) compared to the others.
Akatsi South has the lowest incidence of poverty at 10.5 percent.
Eastern
Kwahu Afram Plains South District, Kwahu South and Upper Manya districts top the poverty charts in this region at 59.7 percent, 48.0 percent and 43.6 percent. High poverty depths were recorded at Kwahu Afram Plains South (21.2 percent), Kwahu South (16.3 percent) and 11.2 percent for Upper Manya. New Juaben, Demkyembuor, Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipal and Suhum Municipal have the lowest incidence of poverty.
Ashanti
Ashanti Sekyere Afram Plains North leads the poverty chart at 59.6 percent followed by Ejura Sekye Dumasi (47.0 percent) and Ahafo Ano North (46.4 percent). Poverty is however very low at Asokore Mampong Municipal (3.3 percent), Afigya Kwabre (4.0 percent) and Atwima Kwanwoma (4.9 percent). Poverty depth is high in Sekyere Afram Plains North, Ejura Sekye Dumasi and Ahafo Ano North.
Brong Ahafo
Kintampo South at (78.3 percent) and Banda Districts (78.0 percent) are highest in poverty incidence in this region. The lowest incidence is observed in Dormaa West District (9.9 percent). Poverty depth is relatively high in Banda and Kintampo South (35.8 percent).
Northern
This region has the third largest poverty headcount in Ghana. East Gonja (84.2 percent) has the highest followed by Bole (79.4 percent and Kpandai (76.9 percent). The lowest poverty incidence of 24.6 percent is observed in the Tamale Metropolis. Poverty depths are also high in East Gonja (40.9 percent) and Bole (38.1 percent).
Upper East
Builsa South District is the highest on the list at (84.4 percent) followed by Bawku West (68.1 percent), Bongo at (67.4) percent and Nabdam at (63.0 percent). Kassena Nankana West District has the lowest incidence at (13.1 percent).
Upper West
Poverty incidence is highest in Wa West at (92.4 percent) followed by Wa East (83.8 percent) and Sissala West (81.2 percent) while poverty depth is relatively high in Wa West at (59.0 percent).
The first poverty map report was produced in May 2005 using data from the 2000 Population and Housing Census and 1998/1999 Ghana Living Standards Survey.
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