Ghana receives more than GHC1m remittances - Survey

A survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service has indicated that Ghana received a total of GH¢ 1.36 million remittances in six districts in the Ashanti Region and Brong Ahafo region within 12 months.

The districts included; Mampong Municipal, Sekyere Kumawu and Asante Akim North in the Ashanti Region and Brekum Municipal, Nkoranza South and Techiman Municipal in the Brong Ahafo Region, funded by the International organisation for Migration Development Fund.

Berekum Municipality recorded the highest mean cash remittances of GH¢ 9,177.10 while Techiman Municipality had the lowest amount of GH¢ 1,834.21 in 12 months prior to the study.

The study which covered the income of 1,200 households revealed that, at least an average of a total of GH¢ 4,663.28 was received per household in those districts.

Mr Godwin Odei Gyeebi, the head of the Data Production unit of GSS, presenting the study dubbed: “Baseline Assessment of Household Remittances in Ghana” revealed that a greater proportion of the remittances came from emigrants residing in the United States of America followed by the United Kingdom, then Germany and Italy.

He indicated that a total value of goods such as clothing; food, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets like laptops, that were received, amounted to GH¢ 1,042,463.00 with Berekum Municipal receiving the highest with value of goods of GH¢ 7,817,725.00.

Mr Godwin also noted that, the remitters used different means in remitting the households and that, a total of 52.6 per cent of all recipients indicated that they received their cash remittance through Money Transfer Operators (MTOS).

He added that nearly 49.7 per cent of the households said they would have preferred remittances through the MTOs and about one-quarter, which was 23.1 per cent showed preference for remitting through friends and relatives.

Despite the ‘’growth of and significance of the remittances as a source of income to households, the findings also showed that, in receiving remittances, households do encounter challenges such as accessibility of service, transfer time, privacy and security.’’ He said.

Ms Joy Paone, Reporting Officer, International Organisation for Migration, Ghana said migrant remittances form an integral source of development finance and played a role in the economic development, social resilience and improvement of the household welfare in the country.

She said the survey would inform and direct the conduct of a nationwide survey on remittances to leverage growth and poverty dividends as well as utilise remittances to cushion the impact of economic shocks.

Mr Peter Peprah, Head of field Operations and Logistics of GSS said more than half of the emigrants had lived abroad for at least 10 years and 3.3 per cent lived outside of the country for less than one year, and that the survey covered a period of 23 days in November last year.