7.2 Million Ghanaians Were Multidimensionally Poor in Q3 of 2025 – GSS Data Says
Ghana recorded a notable reduction in multidimensional poverty between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2025, according to the Multidimensional Poverty Report for Q1–Q3 2025 released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The report indicates that 7.2 million people were multidimensionally poor in the third quarter of 2025, down from 8.1 million in the same period of 2024. This translates into about 950,000 people moving out of multidimensional poverty over the one-year period, Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, said.
Multidimensional poverty is a non-monetary measure that captures deprivations across key areas of human well-being, including health, education and living conditions. The index ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 reflects no deprivation and 1 indicates deprivation across measured indicators.
Presenting the report on Wednesday, January 21, Dr Iddrisu noted that the overall multidimensional poverty rate declined from 24.9% in the first quarter of 2025 to 21.9% by the third quarter of the year, signalling sustained improvement over the period.
However, he cautioned that the gains are unevenly distributed. Poverty levels remain significantly higher in rural areas compared to urban centres, while some regions continue to experience persistently higher deprivation levels than others.
“The biggest multidimensional poverty pressures are still linked to health and living conditions, especially health insurance coverage, nutrition, overcrowding and sanitation, which continue to be the biggest pressure points,” Dr Iddrisu said.
He stressed that the findings should serve as a call to action rather than a statistical exercise, urging coordinated responses from government, businesses, labour unions, civil society organisations, development partners and households.
“These statistics are not just numbers. They are signals for action. They show us where to focus resources, what to fix first, and how to protect vulnerable people, including those facing the triple burden of poverty, unemployment and food insecurity,” he added.
The report recommends that government and public institutions expand National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) coverage and renewals, improve sanitation through the provision of toilet facilities and safe water, strengthen school feeding and education support programmes, and scale up social protection initiatives such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.
It also calls for enhanced skills development, job creation and targeted interventions in the poorest regions and rural communities.
For businesses and the private sector, the report urges support for NHIS enrolment, particularly among informal sector workers, increased investment in sanitation, water, housing quality and electricity, and greater support for education through scholarships, internships and training.
It further encourages the creation of decent jobs, stronger support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and the design of inclusive services and employment opportunities for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities.
At the household level, the report recommends maintaining active health insurance coverage, keeping children in school consistently, improving household nutrition—especially for children—participating in skills and livelihood programmes such as apprenticeships, and addressing poor living conditions, particularly sanitation and overcrowding.
