A survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed that a significant majority of households experienced decreased levels of incomes at the onset of Covid-19.

Acording to the research, 68.2% of respondents indicated that their incomes decreased.

The survey, which was conducted with respondents from across the country, revealed that only 26.7% (of respondents) indicated that their total household income stayed the same as compared to the period before Covid-19 (March 16, 2020) and 5.1% of respondents indicated that their total income increased.

"Of the different sources of income, non-farm family business income saw the biggest reduction. 77.3% of households with income derived from a non-farm family business saw a decrease in income and only 4.4% reported an increase in income. The 4.2% of households who got income from pension saw the smallest change of this income source. 76.7% reported no change in pension income, 13.0% a reduction, and 10.3% increase (see Figure 7)," the release said.

It further revealed that most Ghainans relied on borrowing as a coping mechanism in 2021.

However, respondents indicated that Covid-19 was not a major reason people did not work in the 7 days prior to the interview. Of the 26.7% of people who indicated that they did not work in the previous seven days, only 4.3% gave Covid-19 as a reason for not working.

The most common reasons for not working were; "temporarily absent" or " I am a seasonal worker" (see Figure 5).

Nonetheless, business closure (15.9%) was often mentioned.