The Governing Board Chairman of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah, has called for stronger use of data in national planning and poverty reduction efforts following the release of Ghana’s first district-level multidimensional poverty rankings covering all 261 districts.
Speaking at the launch in Accra on Monday, May 18, 2026, Dr. Baah said the findings provide a clearer picture of deprivation across the country and should guide policymaking, budgeting and development planning.
“For the first time in Ghana’s history, multidimensional poverty estimates have been produced consistently for all 261 districts over several years,” he said.
According to him, the new data moves Ghana beyond broad national averages and allows authorities to understand “the realities facing individual districts and communities.”
The report covers the period from 2021 to 2025 and measures poverty beyond income levels. It examines access to education, healthcare, housing, clean water, sanitation, electricity, employment opportunities and other basic services.
“Statistics are not merely numbers on paper. Statistics tell the story of people,” Dr. Baah stated. “They reveal where opportunities exist, where inequalities persist, and where urgent action is needed.”
The findings showed that 250 out of the 261 districts recorded reductions in multidimensional poverty over the period under review.
Dr. Baah described this as evidence that targeted interventions and investments can improve living conditions when properly implemented.
However, he noted that poverty levels remain uneven across the country.
The report identified Yunyoo Nasuan District as the district with the highest multidimensional poverty incidence in 2025 at 51.6%, while Ayawaso North Municipal recorded the lowest at 5.5%.
“This wide gap shows the importance of targeted policy responses and equitable resource allocation,” he said, adding that the rankings “are not simply rankings” but “signals for action.”
Some districts also recorded sharp improvements over the four-year period.
Wa West District reduced multidimensional poverty from 61.9% in 2021 to 24.0% in 2025, while Sekyere Afram Plains District also posted notable gains.
“These examples demonstrate that even districts facing high deprivation can make significant progress when supported with the right investments, leadership, and policy focus,” Dr. Baah said.
He added that districts where poverty levels worsened or showed only marginal improvements should serve as a warning that development gains must be sustained and closely monitored.
Dr. Baah urged government institutions, Parliament, local assemblies, development partners and civil society organisations to make active use of the findings.
“We must move from statistics to solutions,” he said.
He also stressed the need for continued investment in credible official statistics, arguing that “no country can plan effectively without reliable data.”
