An Assessment of Multidimensional Poverty Trends in Ghana

Abstract

This study aims at establishing the trends in multidimensional poverty in Ghana from 2011 to 2020 using intertemporal and counting approach. Alkire and Foster methodology was applied to identify and analyse the data. The study adopted the global multidimensional poverty indicators made up of three dimensions – health, education, and standard of living – and the ten indicators of which equal weights are attached to each dimension, and the same weights for the indicators within each dimension. It was found that Ghana did very well in reducing multidimensional poverty in all the six indicators within the standard of living dimension both in absolute and relative terms. However, the nation increased its multidimensional poverty in education and health dimensions. The Northern region continues to be the poorest region with the lowest reduction in multidimensional poverty in absolute and relative terms. Overall, multidimensional poverty reduced significantly both in absolute and relative terms at the national and regional levels. As compared with Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana performed better in decreasing multidimensional poverty than the mean of the sub-region in almost all the dimensions and indicators, both in absolute and relative terms. Government should sustain this feat and improve upon it to eliminate poverty in all its forms by 2030 as envisaged by Sustainable Development Goal 1. Government must invest heavily in education and health as well as agriculture and rural development to reduce poverty. Strategy that targets the poorest regions should be implemented to reduce poverty. Keywords: Multidimensional poverty, Headcount poverty, Monetary poverty, Trends, Ghana.