WORLD BANK WARNS OF DEEPENING POVERTY IN GHANA

A troubling new narrative is emerging in Ghana’s economic story: despite past gains in reducing extreme poverty, a third of the population remains mired in multidimensional hardship,and things may be worsening.

Over decades, Ghana registered impressive strides in reducing poverty. Between 1991 and 2012, strong economic growth helped cut poverty (by the national line) from ~52.6 % to ~21.4 %. (World Bank). But while monetary poverty fell, the pace of improvement has slowed, and many gains remain fragile.

Today, according to World Bank data, 32.8 % of Ghanaians still live in multidimensional poverty, deprived not only in income, but also in health, education, and essential services.

The crisis is not uniform. The three northern regions, Upper East, Upper West and Northern, continue to grapple with poverty rates exceeding 50 %. In contrast, urban centres and southern parts of Ghana show relatively lower levels of deprivation, underscoring deep regional inequality.

Ghana now faces a grim projection: by 2027, over half the population could fall under the lower-middle-income poverty line, and extreme poverty may return to 26.9 %. Rising inflation, economic shocks, and fiscal constraints threaten further deterioration of livelihoods.

In a rural village in the Northern Region, residents tell of days when children walk miles for water, schools lack basic supplies, health clinics go without medicine, and families struggle to buy food. “We have hope,” says one mother, “but every year feels harder.”

Nationally, civil society and non-profits warn that social protection systems are under strain. Institutions like LEAP (Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty) and Ghana School Feeding Programme have been key but often underfunded or uneven in reach

What Comes Next

To reverse the trend, many experts urge:

The challenge is stark: Ghana’s development achievements risk unravelling if poverty’s roots are not confronted head-on. For Ghana, “one in three” is not just a statistic, it is a call to action.