Focused Actions to Reduce Poverty
Since 2000, Ghana’s development has been a real success story. The country has witnessed sustained economic growth, with real GDP per capita increasing by 3.5% per year on average and extreme poverty levels falling by almost 80% according to the Ghana Statistical Service.
However, in recent years poverty levels have barely changed nationally, and it appears to be worsening in certain parts of the country. The rural savannah area contains 75% of the country’s extreme poor, with 36% of the population living in extreme poverty, up from 27% in 2013. Remaining clusters of poverty will be harder and more expensive to eradicate, and public spending has to explore effective ways to make sure limited resources are used in the smartest ways possible.