In a significant stride towards understanding and addressing poverty, the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah Esq, launched Ghana’s first Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) at Alisa Hotel, Accra.
The event, graced by high-profile attendees including Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, Government Statistician, and Dr. Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General for the National Development Planning Commission, marked a pivotal moment in the country’s approach to poverty measurement and reduction.
Hon. Assafuah Esq emphasized the importance of viewing poverty through a multidimensional lens rather than solely through income levels. He highlighted that the MPI would foster increased interest and dialogue on aligning microdata, statistics, and policy to more effectively combat poverty.
The Deputy Minister noted that while Ghana made significant strides in poverty reduction during the early 21st century, recent global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic have reversed some of these gains. He stressed the need for coordinated multi-sectoral approaches to address the complex and interconnected drivers of poverty.
