The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), in collaboration with the University of Ghana Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), hosted a dissemination event on August 20, 2024, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra to unveil significant findings from two recent publications.
The event focused on the 2021 Population and Housing Census Thematic Report on Population Projections (2021 – 2050) and the 2024 revision of the World Population Prospects, a critical report by the UN Population Division.
These publications provide crucial data for informed decision-making by detailing population projections disaggregated by sex, age, and locality type.
Key findings presented included three significant implications for Ghana’s demographic landscape:
- Over the next three decades, at least one-third of Ghana’s population will be between 15 and 35. This underscores the need for youth skills and employment investments to leverage the demographic dividend.
- By 2050, one in ten Ghanaians will be 60 or older, highlighting the importance of enhanced retirement savings, pension systems, and social security.
- All but one of Ghana’s 16 regions will have populations exceeding one million by 2050, with six regions expected to remain predominantly rural. This necessitates a renewed focus on urban planning, rural development, and monitoring internal migration.
The district-level projections reveal that the youth population is expected to grow in 247 out of 261 districts, while 14 districts will decline.
Additionally, school-age and working-age populations are projected to increase across all districts. Conversely, 77 districts will experience a decrease in their elderly populations by 2050.
The District Ranking of Micro-Level Development Indicators Report, which complements the launch of the Ghana Stats App, was also released.
This report highlights disparities across districts based on development indicators from the 2010 and 2021 censuses.
It shows significant regional development disparities, with the Savannah Region ranking the lowest across several indicators and a persistent North-South divide in development.
The Ghana Stats App, a new mobile application introduced during the event, offers detailed district-level statistics on various development indicators.
It aims to provide valuable data for household decision-making and enhance public awareness about local community conditions.
The app is part of GSS’s broader effort to expand its statistical offerings beyond policymaker needs to serve the general public effectively.
The dissemination event marked a significant step in promoting the use of statistical data for policy, research, and public awareness and in addressing regional disparities in Ghana’s development landscape.
