Women Earn 34.2 per cent Less than Men in the Ghana- GSS Report 

The Ghana Statistical Service has revealed that among paid workers in the country, women earn 34.2 percent less than men.

Ghana’s population is about 33 million people, with females making up 49.1% of the population. This means that there are more females than males in Ghana.

Females in Ghana play a significant role in the country’s economy. They are involved in a wide range of economic activities, including agriculture, trade, manufacturing, and services. In the agricultural sector, females make up about 52% of the labor force. They are involved in all aspects of agricultural production, from planting and harvesting to processing and marketing.

This data, GSS noted, is from the first quarter of the 2022 Annual Household Income and  Expenditure Survey (AHIES).

In a press statement released to celebrate International Equal Pay Day, GSS stated that “the gender wage gap is lowest among paid workers with tertiary education or more where women earn 12.7 per cent less than their male counterparts. The wage gap is highest among workers with basic education (60.1%) followed by workers with no education (54.0%).”

International Equal Pay Day is commemorated annually on 18th September to promote efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value.

The Service noted that among the population aged 36 to 60 years, women are paid 33.4 per cent less than men.

But, for the age group 15 to 35 years women were paid 30.7 percent less than their male counterparts.

“When comparing sectors of employment, the gender wage gap is highest in the private informal sector where women are paid 58.7 percent less than men. This is followed by the private formal sector with a wage gap of 29.9 percent. The public sector, where women are paid 10.5 percent less than men has the lowest gender wage gap.”

READ: Adwoa Safo to contest Dome-Kwabenya seat again in 2024

Women Earn 34.2 percent Less than Men -Press release 

Per the GSS Report, women in Ghana earn low in all age ranges compared to men although the country’s population has more females than males.

In the trade sector, females make up about 48% of the labor force. They are involved in all types of trade, from retail to wholesale to international trade. In the manufacturing sector, females make up about 45% of the labor force. They are involved in a wide range of manufacturing activities, from food processing to textiles to electronics.

In the services sector, females make up about 50% of the labor force. They are involved in a wide range of service activities, including education, healthcare, and hospitality.

The contribution of females to Ghana’s economy is significant. They play a vital role in all sectors of the economy. Their contributions are essential for the country’s economic growth and development.

Here are some specific examples of how females contribute to Ghana’s economic activities:

• Female farmers in Ghana produce about 70% of the country’s food.
• Female traders in Ghana make up about 70% of the informal sector, which accounts for about 80% of the country’s GDP.
• Female workers in Ghana’s manufacturing sector play a vital role in producing goods for export.
• Female workers in Ghana’s services sector provide essential services such as education, healthcare, and tourism.

The government of Ghana is committed to supporting the economic empowerment of females. The government has implemented a number of policies and programs to promote female entrepreneurship, access to finance, and skills development.

The government is also working to address the challenges that females face in the workplace, such as gender discrimination and sexual harassment.

By supporting the economic empowerment of females, the government of Ghana is helping to create a more prosperous and equitable society.