The Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) hosted a key event on December 19, 2024, which saw the dissemination of critical data from the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR). The event, under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, focused on the outcomes of the nationwide household registration exercise conducted across all 18 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Volta Region in 2022.

The dissemination exercise, which was held in conjunction with the Regional Economic Planning and Coordinating Unit (REPCU) meeting, brought together key regional stakeholders, including the Chief Director of VRCC, heads of various departments, and representatives from non-decentralized institutions such as the police, Environmental Protection Council, Ghana Education Service, and Ghana Health Service.

The event provided a detailed presentation of the GNHR data, highlighting essential thematic areas such as demographics, poverty profiles, access to local services, education, health, livelihood, jobs, and sanitation. According to the data, poverty remains a significant challenge in the region, with 14% of household members classified as extremely poor. Furthermore, only 5% of households have access to social protection services. A concerning 38% of household heads reported being unemployed, while 35% of heads of extremely poor households are engaged in agriculture.

The data also revealed alarming statistics regarding the region’s youth and children. Forty-six percent of children in the region are living in poverty, with Central Tongu, Agortime Ziope, and Adaklu districts showing the highest rates of extreme poverty, at 44%, 40%, and 32%, respectively.

The primary objectives of the GNHR data collection include establishing a comprehensive database for the poor and vulnerable in Ghana, improving transparency and accountability in social protection beneficiary targeting, fostering inter-institutional coordination to optimize social spending, and raising awareness about poverty and vulnerability.

Dr. Richard Adjetey, Head of the GNHR under the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, urged regional administrators, government institutions, NGOs, and development stakeholders to leverage the data for effective advocacy. He emphasized the importance of using the findings to push for social intervention programs such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) initiative, Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW), and the School Feeding Programme, all aimed at improving the welfare of citizens in the region.

The exercise marked a significant step towards tackling poverty and inequality in the Volta Region, fostering collaboration among key stakeholders to ensure that the most vulnerable communities receive the support they need for a better future.