Ghana’s population is now estimated at 29.6 million up from the 24.5 million recorded during the 2010 population and Housing Census, a Chief Statistician with the Ghana Statistical Service, David Kombat has disclosed to the Ghanaian Times.
He said the country’s population growth rate is at an estimated 2.5 annually, adding that an estimated 38.8 percent of the population is made up of the youth.
Ghana’s population has grown by more than 23 million people when the population was at less than at six million at Independence in 1557.
Other indicators from the United Nation’s World Population Review Report (2017) estimated that life expectancy for females in Ghana is 64.2 years and that of male is 62.1 years, with fertility rate at 3.8 children per woman.
Mr. Kombat said that, Ghana had a youthful population of 38.8 percent saying “if provided with education, skills training it will help to create educated workforce that can increase the fortunes of the country.” If that is done, he said “we will be working toward Demographic dividend”.
He explained demographic dividend as an opportunity opened to the country, as a result of the youthful population to accelerate its socio-economic development from skilful and well-trained labour force.
The Chief Statistician expressed the need for access to quality education and healthcare, especially reproductive health and the need to empower women economically, entrepreneurial skills development to drive economic growth.
