Ghana’s happiness index averages 4.70 as study flags concerns over governance, environment
A new pilot study has found that subjective happiness among Ghanaians is moderate, with the country's composite Happiness Index averaging 4.70 out of a possible 7.00. The study, titled “A Pilot Study of a Subjective Happiness Index in Ghana,” examined well-being across psychological, social, economic, environmental and institutional dimensions. It was conducted by researchers Ishmael D. Norman,…
A recent study of subjective happiness in Ghana reveals an average composite Happiness Index of 4.70 out of 7.00. The research, led by Ishmael D. Norman, Eric S. Afli, Saralees Nadarajah and Emmanuel D. Kpeglo, surveyed 833 individuals across rural and urban households in six regions from February to March 2024. The study utilized the Happiness Alliance 62-item Index, evaluating ten well-being aspects, including psychological health, healthcare, time management, community ties, social support, education, environment, governance, material well-being, and job satisfaction.
Key findings indicate that material well-being, governance, community belonging, and job satisfaction contributed most significantly to overall happiness. The strongest correlation with happiness was material well-being (r = 0.79), followed by job satisfaction (r = 0.74). Community belonging showed the weakest link at r = 0.48. Psychological well-being scored highest at a mean of 5.76, with over 70% of respondents agreeing on having purpose and strong interpersonal relationships.
Social support was also high, with more than 85% feeling supported by friends and family. However, governance scored lowest at 3.45, reflecting concerns about trust in institutions and corruption. Environmental quality was also criticized, with residents raising concerns about pollution, land degradation and biodiversity loss. Material well-being showed a mixed picture, with most respondents meeting basic needs but lacking financial security and asset ownership.
Job satisfaction was moderately high, but compensation concerns affected satisfaction. Regional disparities emerged, with the Eastern and Ashanti regions scoring highest (4.99 and 4.97) and the Volta Region scoring lowest (3.64). Men reported slightly higher happiness (4.76) than women (4.63), and married individuals scored higher (4.82) than widowed individuals (4.52).
Income positively correlated with happiness, with those earning above GH¢60,000 scoring 5.57, compared to 4.49 for those earning below GH¢20,000. Larger households also reported higher happiness (5.02). The researchers cautioned against attributing happiness solely to income, emphasizing the importance of governance, community ties, and work satisfaction alongside material conditions.
The study used a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.824, indicating strong internal consistency, and an Exploratory Factor Analysis supported the 10-factor structure, explaining 67.8% of the variance. Nonetheless, the findings should not be considered nationally representative due to non-probability sampling and limited regional coverage. Future research should employ nationally representative samples and broader regional data to validate these results at the national level.
The authors recommend establishing a multidimensional happiness measurement tool alongside conventional economic indicators to provide a more comprehensive view of societal well-being.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
