Story: University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa (UMaT)
Professor Bernard Kumi-Boateng, Professor of Geomatics Engineering at the Department of Geomatic Engineering and Dean of Planning and Quality Assurance at the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa (UMaT), has delivered his Inaugural Lecture on Thursday, 15th June, 2023 on the topic, "Mapping the Poor in Ghana: A Geospatial Multidimensional Poverty Index Approach".
Watch IntercoAfrica1 on YouTube and Facebook
The Lecture which was held at the University Auditorium and chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, is the 8th Inaugural Lecture to be delivered in the University and received audience globally.
Delivering his lecture, Professor Kumi Boateng indicated that to be able make efficient poverty alleviation interventions, there is the need to produce a poverty map to assist policy makers. He said that over the years, successive governments in Ghana have developed and implemented several development policy frameworks as part of poverty reduction programmes and that one of the parameters that play a key role is data on poverty and its dimensions. Professor Kumi-Boateng said that a correct, precise and accurate poverty data provides a very good basis for the planning and implementation of poverty alleviation programmes.
Hence, his research sought to use Geospatial technology such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map out poverty endemic areas by displaying the spatial dimension of poverty and identifying the poverty pockets across Ghana through the use of a Multi-dimensional (non monetary) Poverty Index (MPI) approach.
Professor Kumi-Boateng presented his study results from ten indicators including, years of schooling, child school attendance , maternal mortality, child mortality, safe drinking water , sanitation, flooring, access to electricity, cooking fuel and overcrowding. His findings indicate that aside the Greater Accra Region and Ashanti Region which recorded a significantly low MPI incidence, implying that they are the least poor, all the remaining regions, especially the Northern and Volta regions recorded the highest level of poverty. The Professor used the opportunity to appeal to policy makers to take into consideration geospatial factors in decision making.
During his lecture, Professor Kumi-Boateng used the opportunity to acknowledge persons who were instrumental in his quest for academic excellence. He paid glowing tribute to his predecessors and lecturers for their tutelage and guidance.
