Poverty Does Not Mean lack of Money – CeSIS

The Executive Director for Centre for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS), Mr Richard Kojo Elimah has provided a broader understanding of poverty, stating that the definition of poverty is not solely based on lack of money.

His comments come in response to claims that 44% of Ghana’s workforce are multidimensionally poor.

Speaking on Nkwantannanso, he emphasised that poverty is a multifaceted issue that encompasses a wide range of factors, including but not limited to, financial stability.

“In development language, poverty includes shelter, as well as issues related to health, education, and climate change. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a comprehensive approach to tackle it effectively,” he said.

“If you have financial stability but you are not in good health, you are poor.”

Moreover, he added that poverty of ideas is also a form of poverty that needs to be addressed.

“If you don’t have ideas that will help you develop to be a better person, then you are poor.”

He stressed that poverty is not just a personal issue but a social and systemic one that requires a collective effort to address.

According to the Ghana Statistical Service’s 2022 Labour Statistics report, an alarming 5.4 million people out of the 12.3 million Ghanaian workforce are tagged as multidimensionally poor.