Accra, Jan. 26, 2026 – Persons with disabilities remain disproportionately affected by multidimensional poverty despite national progress in reducing deprivation, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has reported.
The Multidimensional Poverty Report, covering the first quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025, showed a decline in the national poverty rate from 24.9 per cent in 2024 to 21.9 per cent in 2025.
By the third quarter of 2025, more than seven million people were multidimensionally poor, down from 8.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Presenting the report, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, Government Statistician, said households headed by persons with disabilities experienced higher levels of deprivation in areas including health insurance, nutrition, sanitation and employment.
He said poverty levels were highest among households headed by persons with hearing difficulties (43 per cent) and intellectual difficulties (33.6 per cent).
Dr Iddrisu said multidimensional poverty measured deprivation across living conditions, health, education and employment, using indicators such as housing, water, sanitation, electricity, school attendance, nutrition and health insurance coverage.
He said the situation was compounded by factors such as rural residence, low educational attainment and informal employment.
Dr Iddrisu said inclusive policies were required to ensure that poverty reduction efforts benefited all segments of the population.
He recalled that persons with disabilities constituted about eight per cent of the population, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census.
Dr Iddrisu said although overall poverty levels had declined, households headed by persons with disabilities remained at risk of exclusion.
He said achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of halving poverty by 2030 would require placing persons with disabilities at the centre of policy interventions.
Dr Iddrisu said while social programmes such as Free Senior High School, the Capitation Grant and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty programme were making an impact, there was the need to scale up targeted support.
He recommended expanded health insurance coverage, accessible education and skills training, and improved housing and sanitation facilities for persons with disabilities.
Source: GNA