Ghana urged to prioritize early childhood investment as new reports expose widespread child deprivation

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has called for increased investment in early childhood development following the release of two reports that reveal nearly three-quarters of Ghanaian children experience multidimensional poverty.

Speaking at the launch of the Situation Analysis of Children and Adolescents in Ghana (SitAn) and Assessing Public Spending by Age in Ghana reports in Accra on Monday, the Director-General of the NDPC, Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, said that Ghana's development ambitions can only be achieved if every child is given the opportunity to survive, learn, thrive and reach their full potential.

Dr. Amoah stated that investments in children are critical to building human capital, improving productivity, strengthening social cohesion and promoting sustainable development.

She noted that many children still face multiple forms of deprivation although Ghana has made significant gains in areas such as education, child survival and social protection through programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and School Feeding Programme.

She noted that public spending does not always correspond with the stages of childhood where deprivation is most severe and called for greater investment in early childhood interventions to improve long-term development outcomes.

Dr Amoah also advocated stronger decentralized services, enhanced child-sensitive social protection programmes and improved data systems to support effective planning and policymaking.

"We cannot plan effectively for children whom we do not adequately count or understand," she stated.

On her part the UNICEF Representative in Ghana, Ms. Paulina Sarvilahti, commended the Government of Ghana and its partners for producing the SitAn report, describing it as an important evidence-based tool for understanding the challenges facing children and adolescents.

She emphasized that strategic investments across sectors at critical stages of a child's development can significantly improve outcomes and noted that the public spending report would help guide more effective allocation of resources.

Representing the Chief Director of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Director of Administration, Mr Ebenezer Charway, said the commemoration of the Day of the African Child offered an opportunity to assess progress and renew commitments towards improving the welfare of children.

He noted that many children still grapple with multidimensional poverty, learning deficits, inadequate access to quality services and child protection challenges.

Mr Charway highlighted access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as a critical child rights issue with significant implications for health, education and overall well-being.

Presenting key findings from the SitAn report, Principal Analyst at the NDPC, Mr Nii Odoi Odotei, disclosed that approximately 73 per cent of children in Ghana are multidimensional poor, with deprivation levels highest among younger children.

He said the report found that public expenditure remains concentrated on older children despite greater needs during the early years. It also identified regional disparities, poor learning outcomes and challenges affecting adolescents, particularly girls.

The report cited weak institutional systems, limited data availability and inadequate investment in early childhood development as major obstacles to improving child welfare. It recommended stronger coordination among stakeholders, expansion of social protection programmes, improved data systems and increased investment in early childhood development.

The event ended with the official unveiling of the two reports and a renewed pledge by government and development partners to work together to ensure that every child in Ghana has an equal opportunity to develop and succeed.