Over 227,000 Ghanaians face hunger, poverty and unemployment – GSS

The Ghana Statistical Service reports that over 227,000 Ghanaians are grappling with the interconnected challenges of hunger, poverty and unemployment, despite a national decline in severe food insecurity.

Data from the GSS show that in the third quarter of 2025, 227,519 individuals faced simultaneous food insecurity, multidimensional poverty and unemployment.

This marks a 9.4 percent increase from the 208,064 recorded in the second quarter, with an additional 19,455 individuals affected. While severe food insecurity declined nationally from 5.1 percent in Q2 to 4.6 percent in Q3, the number of individuals experiencing multiple vulnerabilities continues to rise.

Moreover, food access challenges persist, with 4,072,199 Ghanaians classified as only food insecure in Q2 2025, underscoring the widespread nature of food insecurity in the country.

The report highlights persistent disparities in gender and geography. Severe food insecurity among rural female-headed households peaked at 8.1 percent, emphasizing the disproportionate burden borne by women in rural communities.

These developments coincide with Ghana’s intensified efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 2: Zero Hunger.

Although Ghana is experiencing improvements in macroeconomic performance across key sectors, analysts note that the gains are not being evenly distributed. They caution that without targeted policy interventions, the increasing number of households facing overlapping vulnerabilities could undermine progress in food security, poverty reduction, and job creation.

At a press briefing in Accra, Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu advocated for more focused and region-specific interventions.

He urged authorities to prioritise high-burden regions with tailored food security, agricultural and market-access solutions, rather than relying on broad, one-size-fits-all policies.