The Core Question

• This study is motivated by a simple but critical question:
• Are improvements at the macro level translating into real improvements in people’s lives?
  • Inflation declining
  • Economy stabilizing
  • BUT households are still under pressure

Why This Matters

Macroeconomic indicators ≠ lived reality

• GDP and inflation show trends
• But do not capture:
  • Affordability
  • Income security
  • Daily economic stress
• We need to move beyond macro indicators and understand how households actually experience the economy.

What is the GWT?

• A citizen-centered national survey capturing economic life from the perspective of households.
• Tracks 5 key dimensions:
  • Cost of living
  • Employment & income security
  • Income trends
  • SME/business conditions
  • Financial resilience

Methodology

• Sample: 3,698 respondents
• Coverage: All 16 regions
• Method: Telephone survey
• Index: Ghana Wellbeing Index (0–100)

Regional Distribution

• Ahafo — 5%
• Ashanti — 16%
• Bono — 3%
• Bono East — 3%
• Central — 9%
• Eastern — 12%
• Greater Accra — 17%
• North East — 3%
• Northern — 7%
• Oti — 2%
• Savannah — 2%
• Upper East — 3%
• Upper West — 3%
• Volta — 7%
• Western — 5%
• Western North — 3%

Analytical Framework

Interpretation of the Index

Findings

GWI Score

Sub-Indices Overview

Selected Regional GWI Comparison

Cost of Living remains the Biggest Problem

• COLI: 44.7 → High Pressure
• Food, transport, utilities remain expensive.
• Inflation ↓ but prices still high.
• Households are still struggling because prices essential goods remain high.

Jobs & Income – Weak Recovery

• EISI: 59.3 → Moderate stability
• HIM: 52.9 → Stagnant income growth

Key Issue

• Jobs exist.
• But incomes are not sufficient or stable.
• The labour market is functioning but not delivering strong or reliable incomes.

SMEs – Constrained but Surviving

• SMEI: 56.9 → Moderate
• Businesses operational
• But:
  • High input/production costs
  • Weak demand
  • Limited expansion
• SMEs are surviving but not expanding, limiting job creation and income growth.

Financial Resilience – A Surprising Strength

• FSRI: 78.9 → Strong
• Low immediate financial collapse
• Households still coping
• Optimism about future
• Households are under pressure, but they are adapting and remain hopeful.

Key Insights

Ghana’s Economy Today

• Stabilizing at the macro level
• Under pressure at the household level

Core Gap

Policy outcomes vs lived experience

Inequality Snapshot

• Women worse off than men
• Rural < Urban
• Strong regional variation
• Education improves outcomes

GWI by Sex

GWI by Geography

Conclusion

The real success of economic policy will not be stabilization.

It will be whether people actually experience the recovery.

How do we collectively achieve this together?