By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, June 12, GNA – Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, has described the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) reports as key milestones in providing disaggregated data that shed light on the realities of the most vulnerable in society.
The MPI is data collected on health, education, living conditions and unemployment by the Ghana Statistical Service to determine the level and intensity of poverty in the districts.
The Data, when utilised effectively by the affected assemblies, would ensure that tailor-made interventions were brought on board in the region in general, and the respective district in particular, to advance the course of parity in development.
The Regional Minister said this during a two-day workshop organised by the Ghana Statistical Service for metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in Takoradi.
The eradication of poverty and inequality in all forms and dimensions as prescribed by the Sustainable Development Goals was a prerequisite for any development intervention, he said.
“I, therefore, charge all MMDAs, Coordinating Directors and Planning Officers to integrate data collected using the MPI into the Medium-Term Development Plans (MDP) of your MMDAs and follow through with the implementation to help address the challenges,” Mr Darko-Mensah said.
“We as MMDAs and the WRCC, having discussed the reports generated by the Ghana Statistical Service, should work together to build a brighter future for our region…a future where every child has access to quality education, every family has access to healthcare, and every household has access to clean water and sanitation…”
“A future where our people can live dignified lives, free from poverty and its deprivations.”
He noted that the MPI indicators reflected national priorities as they would be used to monitor and evaluate progress across a set of interlinked and policy responsive Sustainable Development Goals and targets that were national, regional and global in nature.
They would support integrated and multi-sectoral policies at both national and regional levels, including budget allocation and targeting.
Analysis of MPI by region, age cohort, and other characteristics would help identify the poorest groups and specific areas of deprivation to ensure effective prioritisation and inclusion of all disadvantaged.
Dr Grace Bediako, the former Government Statistician, indicated that research had moved from using only income or money as a single indicator to measuring poverty.
It has, thus, added social amenities as indicators to measuring poverty.
She said users of the MPI were blessed with evidence based and real time data for strategic planning and development to ensure collective development.
Ms Sarah Woode, the Principal Statistician who took the participants through the findings, said urban poverty and inter district disparity stood out in the region as matters of concern.
GNA