The University of Ghana’s Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) has launched an edited volume that provides an in-depth and data-driven analysis of the country’s demographic evolution and its implications for sustainable development.
The publication, titled Ghana’s Demography: Evolution and Implications for Development, was released in September 2025 by Springer, one of the world’s leading academic publishers.
The book, co-authored by Professor Ayaga A. Bawah, Professor Stephen O. Kwankye and Pearl Kyei (Editors), represents a major milestone in Ghana’s demographic scholarship, offering fresh insights into how population dynamics shape the country’s social and economic transformation.
The volume examines the complex interactions between fertility, mortality, migration, and urbanisation, and how these shifts impact education, health, ageing, poverty, and environmental sustainability. It presents evidence-based perspectives on how Ghana’s changing population structure influences national development priorities and long-term planning.
According to the editors, the work goes beyond descriptive statistics to provide analytical and policy-relevant guidance aimed at helping governments and institutions respond effectively to emerging demographic realities.
The 16-chapter book explores the drivers and consequences of demographic change and proposes actionable recommendations to promote inclusive and sustainable growth.
Although centred on the country, the publication situates the country’s demographic transition within the wider sub-Saharan African and global contexts, offering valuable comparative insights for other developing countries. It underscores the importance of leveraging population data to inform national and regional development strategies.
The book also aligns with key global frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, reinforcing Ghana’s commitment to evidence-based policy formulation and development planning.
RIPS, which has long been recognised as a leading centre for population and development research in Africa, sees this publication as a contribution to national and regional dialogue on how demographic shifts can be harnessed for economic transformation and social progress.
The introductory section provides a comprehensive tour of the contents of the book and highlights its relevance to different stakeholders and sectors of the country’s economy, including academic and research institutions, government, and non-governmental institutions, particularly for policy and planning.
The subsequent chapters cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from the changing pattern of the country’s population structure and its implications for health, social, and economic planning; fertility and mortality patterns and trends; and their implications for demographic dividend.
Other topics covered by the book include an analysis of internal and international migration, urbanisation trends, and related housing and infrastructure challenges.
While other specialised topics covered in the book include the changing structure of families, household composition, and changing patterns of marriage in Ghanaian society.
Also, important topics covered by this groundbreaking book include family planning, contraception knowledge and use, gender-based violence, and maternal health service utilisation, which were diligently presented and analysed.
There is also a focus on education and literacy, population health, and nutrition, including the prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health disorders, health disparities, and disabilities in the Ghanaian population.
BY TIMES REPORTER
