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Improving the Targeting of Social Programs in Ghana

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  • Quentin Wodon

Abstract

This study provides a diagnostic of the benefit incidence and targeting performance of a large number of social programs in Ghana. Both broad-based programs (such as spending for education and health, and subsidies for food, oil-related products and electricity) as well as targetd programs (such as LEAP, the indigent exemption under the NHIS, school lunches and uniforms, or fertilizer subsidies) are considered. In addition, the study provides tools and recommendations for better targeting of those programs in the future. The tools include new maps and data sets for geographic targeting according to poverty and food security, as well as ways to implement proxy means-testing. The purpose of this introductory chapter is to provide a brief synthesis of the key findings and messages from the study.

Suggested Citation

  • Quentin Wodon, 2012. "Improving the Targeting of Social Programs in Ghana," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13082, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbpubs:13082
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    14. Coulombe, Harold & Wodon, Quentin, 2008. "Assessing the geographic impact of higher food prices in Guinea," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4743, The World Bank.
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    19. Quentin Wodon & Hassan Zaman, 2010. "Higher Food Prices in Sub-Saharan Africa: Poverty Impact and Policy Responses," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 25(1), pages 157-176, February.
    20. Duclos, Jean-Yves & Makdissi, Paul & Wodon, Quentin, 2005. "Poverty-dominant program reforms: the role of targeting and allocation rules," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 53-73, June.
    21. Wodon, Quentin & Tsimpo, Clarence & Backiny-Yetna, Prospere & Joseph, George & Adoho, Franck & Coulombe, Harold, 2008. "Potential impact of higher food prices on poverty : summary estimates for a dozen west and central African countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4745, The World Bank.
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    25. Wodon, Quentin & Tsimpo, Clarence & Coulombe, Harold, 2008. "Assessing the potential impact on poverty of rising cereals prices : the case of Ghana," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4740, The World Bank.
    26. Nouve, Kofi & Wodon, Quentin, 2008. "Impact of rising rice prices and policy responses in Mali : simulations with a dynamic CGE model," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4739, The World Bank.
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    Cited by:

    1. Edgar F.A. Cooke & Sarah Hague & Luca Tiberti & John Cockburn & Abdel-Rahmen El Lahga, 2016. "Estimating the impact on poverty of Ghana’s fuel subsidy reform and a mitigating response," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 105-128, March.
    2. Stephen D. Younger & Eric Osei-Assibey & Felix Oppong, 2015. "Fiscal Incidence in Ghana," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 1335, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    3. Peter Darvas & David Balwanz, 2014. "Basic Education beyond the Millennium Development Goals in Ghana : How Equity in Service Delivery Affects Educational and Learning Outcomes," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 16307, December.
    4. Cecilia Obeng & Salome Amissah-Essel & Frederica Jackson & Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, 2022. "Preschool Environment: Teacher Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Houssou, Nazaire & Andam, Kwaw S. & Collins, Asante-Addo, 2017. "Can better targeting improve the effectiveness of Ghana's Fertilizer Subsidy Program? Lessons from Ghana and other countries in Africa south of the Sahara," IFPRI discussion papers 1605, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Habimana, Dominique & Haughton, Jonathan & Nkurunziza, Joseph & Haughton, Dominique Marie-Annick, 2021. "Measuring the impact of unconditional cash transfers on consumption and poverty in Rwanda," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    7. Tom Harris & David Phillips & Ross Warwick & Maya Goldman & Jon Jellema & Karolina Goraus & Gabriela Inchauste, 2018. "Redistribution via VAT and cash transfers: an assessment in four low and middle income countries," IFS Working Papers W18/11, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    8. Houssou, Nazaire & Asante-Addo, Collins & Andam, Kwaw S., 2017. "Improving the targeting of fertilizer subsidy programs in Africa south of the Sahara: Perspectives from the Ghanaian experience," IFPRI discussion papers 1622, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. William Ascher, 2023. "Coping with the ambiguities of poverty-alleviation programs and policies: a policy sciences approach," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 56(2), pages 325-354, June.
    10. Paul Mosley & Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2016. "The political economy of 'linked' progressive taxation in Africa and Latin America," WIDER Working Paper Series 131, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Stephen D. Younger & Flora Myamba & Kenneth Mdadila, 2016. "Fiscal Incidence in Tanzania," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 1336, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    12. Stephen D. Younger & Eric Osei-Assibey & Felix Oppong, 2015. "Fiscal Incidence in Ghana," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 35, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    13. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2017. "Competitive clientelism and the political economy of mining in Ghana," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-078-17, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    14. World Bank, 2010. "Education in Ghana : Improving Equity, Efficiency and Accountability of Education Service Delivery," World Bank Publications - Reports 3012, The World Bank Group.
    15. Ecker, Olivier & Van Asselt, Joanna, 2017. "Food and nutrition security in transforming Ghana: A descriptive analysis of national trends and regional patterns," IFPRI discussion papers 1650, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Paul Mosley & Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, 2016. "The political economy of 'linked' progressive taxation in Africa and Latin America," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-131, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    17. Gill,Indermit S. & Revenga,Ana L. & Zeballos,Christian, 2016. "Grow, invest, insure : a game plan to end extreme poverty by 2030," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7892, The World Bank.

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