A new report by the Ghana Statistical Service has highlighted a widening development gap between urban and rural districts, with municipalities in the Greater Accra Region emerging as the country’s strongest performers in reducing multidimensional poverty.
The latest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) rankings, covering the period from 2021 to 2025, show that districts in Greater Accra and parts of the Ashanti Region recorded the lowest levels of deprivation in areas such as education, healthcare, employment, sanitation and access to basic services.
According to the report, Ablekuma North Municipal ranked as Ghana’s best-performing district overall, maintaining one of the lowest poverty levels nationwide throughout the five years. The municipality recorded an average multidimensional poverty incidence of 8.5 per cent and consistently remained among the top ten districts each year.
Ablekuma West Municipal followed with an average poverty incidence of 8.6 per cent, while Korle Klottey Municipal recorded 8.8 per cent.
Other high-performing districts included La Dade-Kotopon Municipal, Tema West Municipal, Ayawaso Central Municipal, Ayawaso West Municipal, Krowor Municipal, Ledzokuku Municipal and Asokwa Municipal.
The report further revealed that Ayawaso North Municipal recorded the single lowest multidimensional poverty rate in Ghana in 2025, at 5.5 per cent.
Analysts say the rankings reflect the concentration of economic activity, infrastructure and social services in urban centres, particularly in Greater Accra. Improvements in access to healthcare, quality education, sanitation facilities, electricity and employment opportunities were identified as major factors contributing to the strong performance of the top-ranked districts.
However, the report also pointed to persistent inequalities across the country, noting that districts in northern Ghana continue to experience significantly higher poverty and deprivation levels compared to urban municipalities in the south.
The Ghana Statistical Service says the MPI rankings are intended to support evidence-based policymaking by helping government and development partners identify areas requiring urgent social intervention and investment.
The findings are expected to influence future decisions on poverty reduction programmes, infrastructure expansion and the allocation of public resources across districts.
By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang
