The Demographic Transition and The Demographic Dividend: Does Ghana Stand A Chance?

ABSTRACT There is a lot of talk on this new wind of economic benefit – the “demographic dividends.” Many regions of the world have had their share of the demographic transition and dividend. Still, most countries in Africa are yet to receive it or might even miss it if they do not put in place the necessary structures and systems to reap it. The study, therefore, seeks to find the state of Ghana concerning the dividend. It explores the preconditions of attaining the dividend, which might have delayed Ghana’s chances of harnessing the DD and the roles stakeholders should play to enable Ghana capitalized on its demographic transition and dividend. The study, through a qualitative research approach, made use of both primary and secondary data collection sources. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. The analyses revealed that to gain and maximize the DD, Ghana must invest in the areas of education, health, governance, and economy. Ghana can leverage on the DD if this is done. However, there are significant challenges, such as a high dependency ratio and a low level of education among the youth that needs great attention.