Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana

District Sublinks
Other Links
Other Officers
Downloads
Item

SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Introduction

The composition of the Ghanaian household is a reflection of the social structure of the country. The household composition is therefore defined in terms of relationship of members of the household to one person they accept and recognize as the head and who is responsible for management and upkeep of the household members. Thus, a number of factors determine and modify the household composition. Four major factors influence the average size of households in a population: the level of fertility, the extent to which elderly relatives, especially parents, are able to maintain themselves financially and can afford to live apart from their children in their own households; the extent to which unmarried persons leave home and establish households, either alone or with one or more friends; and differences in the definition of what constitutes a household itself.

Household Size, Household Composition and Headship

Household Size

Household size refers to the total number of persons in a household irrespective of age, sex, or relationship status. Table 3.1 presents the household size of the district by locality of residence. There are 17,592 households in the district of which only about 90.9 percent (15,997) reside in rural areas with the rest in urban settlements. The district has an average household size of 4.7 persons with more persons in rural households (4.7) than urban households (4.5).

Household Composition

Table 3.2 shows household population by composition and sex. Child (son/daughter) constitutes the highest proportion of 46.9 percent, followed by heads of households (21.5 percent) and Spouse (wife/husband) (13.2 percent). Parent/parent in-law and adopted/foster child form the least proportions of 0.4 percent and 0.3 percent respectively. For the male population, child (son/daughter) forms the highest proportion of 47.3 percent, followed by male heads (32.2 percent), grand-child (5.2 percent) and brother/sister (4.5 percent). Parent/parent in-law constitute the least proportion of 0.1 percent. Child (son/daughter) recorded the highest proportion for the female population (46.5 percent), followed by spouse (wife/husband) (27 percent) and household heads (8.3 percent) adopted/foster child has the least proportion of 0.3 percent.

Household Structure

Table 3.3 shows the household population by the household structure and the sex of its members. More than a third (39.6%) of the household population resides in nuclear families (Head, spouse (s), children only). The extended family comprising the head, spouse (s), children and heads relatives constitute 23.9 percent of the household population. Single parent extended (Head, children, heads relatives) constitute 9.0 percent. Single person households (3.0%) are not a common phenomenon in Sefwi Akontombra District and not many households are found with the head and spouse only (2.1%).

Date Created : 11/20/2017 4:22:11 PM