Ghanaian research institute that conducts economic, social and statistical analysis; regularly advises government on fiscal policy, tax revenue, employment, and growth priorities.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research
Every mention in the Ghanaian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
Ghana’s agricultural recovery in 2025 was encouraging but uneven, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has stated. …
Agriculture recovery in 2025 was encouraging but uneven, industrial slowdown highlights broader development – ISSERThe Ghanaian Times
… Charles Yaw Okyere, is the Principal Investigator, with Dr Richmond Kingsley Egyei of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana, serving as the Research Associate. …
Study to examine PhD training models, challenges in Ghana commencesJoy Online
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has stated that the dependence on gold and cocoa leaves Ghana exposed to changes in global commodity prices and production conditions. …
Overdependence on gold, cocoa leaves Ghana exposed to changes in global commodity prices – ISSERJoy Online
Ghana’s fiscal consolidation in 2025 was driven largely by expenditure restraint rather than increased revenue mobilisation, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), has disclosed in its State of Ghanaian Economy Report 2025. …
Ghana’s fiscal consolidation in 2025 largely driven by expenditure restraint, not revenue growth – ISSERDaily Guide
… Robert Darko Osei Government’s ability to sustain economic growth and finance critical development projects is being constrained by low domestic revenue mobilisation, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has warned. …
Low Tax Revenue Threatens Growth Plans – ISSERJoy Online
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) wants government to sustain the economic stability while expanding productive employment, saying it will be critical to translating economic growth into improved living standards. …
Sustain economic stability, expand productive employment and create better jobs – ISSER to governmentJoy Online
… At the launch of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research’s (ISSER) 2025 State of the Ghanaian Economy Report in Accra on Tuesday, the Institute said fiscal consolidation had been driven largely by expenditure restraint rather than improved revenue mobilisation …
Ghana needs jobs, not more expenditure cuts – Prof BokpinDaily Guide
… The conference, scheduled for October 26, 2026, at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) Conference venue in Accra, is being held under the theme “Women Leading the Future of Local Philanthropy and Social Investment.” It will provide a platform for pa …
4th African Women In Philanthropy Confab To Promote Leadership, Local GivingJoy Online
… The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) says this gap makes it harder for the Government to pay for development interventions and could lead to spending cuts. …
Ghana faces revenue gap that could hinder economic growth, ISSER warnsJoy Online
Ghana must widen its tax net and improve domestic revenue mobilisation to fund its development priorities, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has warned. …
Low tax revenue threatens Ghana’s development ambitions — ISSERGhana's agricultural recovery in 2025 was encouraging but uneven, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research found. The institute flagged an industrial slowdown and called for improvements in agricultural productivity, market infrastructure, and the translation of mineral sector strength into broader industrial development.
27 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's agricultural recovery in 2025 was encouraging but uneven, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research found. The institute flagged an industrial slowdown and called for improvements in agricultural productivity, market infrastructure, and the translation of mineral sector strength into broader industrial development.
27 October 2026 · Joy Online →
A research project by PASGR, funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, has begun examining doctoral training models in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda to identify gaps in PhD education and recommend reforms. The study focuses on social sciences, humanities and education, addressing concerns about limited domestic research funding, inadequate supervisory capacity and lack of comparable data on doctoral completion rates in Ghana.
23 October 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research warns that Ghana's reliance on gold and cocoa leaves the country vulnerable to global commodity price fluctuations, despite strengthened external position in 2025 with merchandise trade surplus widening to US$13.8 billion. Minerals accounted for 68.2% of merchandise exports, and ISSER calls for diversification of exports through expanded manufactured and processed goods to reduce commodity dependence.
22 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's fiscal deficit narrowed from 7.9% to 1.0% of GDP in 2025 largely through expenditure restraint rather than increased revenue, according to ISSER's State of the Ghanaian Economy Report. The research institute warned that sharp reductions in capital spending may hamper infrastructure development and future growth, and that sustaining consolidation requires stronger domestic revenue mobilisation alongside expenditure discipline.
22 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has warned that Ghana's low domestic revenue mobilisation constrains the government's ability to finance development projects and sustain economic growth. The country's tax revenue stood at about 30 percent of GDP in 2025, significantly below the sub-Saharan African average, and ISSER recommends broadening the tax base to bring more individuals and businesses into the tax net.
22 October 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research says Ghana's economy grew 6.0% in 2025 with improved macroeconomic conditions, but calls on government to sustain economic stability and expand productive employment to translate growth into better living standards, noting that stronger GDP growth does not automatically improve livelihoods.
22 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin, an economist at the University of Ghana Business School, has urged the government to shift from expenditure cuts to job-led growth, warning that excessive spending compression risks undermining economic growth without creating decent jobs or attracting investment for inclusive development. Ghana's debt-to-GDP ratio declined from 61.8 per cent at the end of 2024 to 45 per cent by June 2026, achieving debt sustainability ahead of the IMF's 2028 programme target, but Prof Bokpin cautions that continuing over-compression of spending could stabilize the economy without fostering inclusive growth.
22 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The 4th African Women in Philanthropy Conference, scheduled for October 26, 2026 in Accra, will bring together women leaders and stakeholders to explore ways to strengthen local philanthropy and social investment in Ghana. The event, organised by Ghana Philanthropy Week and Women in Philanthropy Ghana, will focus on six thematic areas including women's leadership, social investment, digital innovation, and mobilising partnerships for the sector.
21 October 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research says Ghana's tax revenue was about 30% of GDP in 2025, significantly lower than the sub-Saharan African average, constraining the Government's ability to fund development and risking spending cuts. ISSER recommends expanding the tax base rather than increasing pressure on current taxpayers to close the revenue gap.
21 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research warns that Ghana's tax revenue, at about 30 per cent of GDP in 2025, remains below the sub-Saharan African average, limiting the government's ability to fund infrastructure, create jobs, and support economic expansion. The institute calls for widening the tax net and improving domestic revenue mobilisation rather than increasing the burden on existing taxpayers.
21 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research is calling on government to prioritise manufacturing, agricultural productivity and private-sector financing to convert economic growth into employment and improved living standards. ISSER's director warned that excessive reliance on point-source resources such as gold is unsustainable and that high government borrowing could crowd out private credit.
20 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research has advised government to use the 2027 budget to strengthen revenue mobilization and broaden the tax base, noting that 2025 fiscal consolidation relied more on expenditure restraint than increased revenue collection, with total grants and revenue at 16.1 percent of GDP.
20 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Offshore investors and fund managers are pressing Ghana to return to international capital markets, citing improving economic conditions, credit rating upgrades, and stronger reserves. The government has indicated there is no rush to return to these markets.
20 October 2026 · Joy Online →
A decade after blackouts cost Ghana nearly a billion dollars in 2014, Karpowership's floating power plant—which arrived in 2015 with 450 MW capacity—relocated from Tema to Takoradi in 2019 to use domestic natural gas, saving the country an estimated $120 million annually.
22 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Former ISSER director Professor Peter Quartey has criticized the government's first-half 2026 expenditure cuts as excessive, cautioning that a 20.6 per cent reduction in public spending poses risks to essential public services and infrastructure. He argued that while fiscal discipline is necessary for macroeconomic stability, deviations of up to five per cent from planned expenditure are acceptable.
4 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research warned that Ghana risks undermining long-term development goals if infrastructure spending continues to fall short due to tight expenditure controls. Capital expenditure was nearly 40 per cent below its programmed level in the first half of 2026, largely due to implementation delays in the government's "Big Push" infrastructure programme.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research cautions that Ghana's improved fiscal performance is being driven primarily by expenditure cuts rather than stronger revenue mobilisation, with capital expenditure showing the sharpest reduction and potentially undermining long-term economic growth.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has raised concerns that construction growth remained at only 1.3% in the first quarter of 2026 despite the government's 'Big Push' infrastructure programme, attributing weak performance to reduced capital expenditure and tight fiscal policy.
2 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research has urged Ghana's government to ensure strong macroeconomic performance translates into meaningful job creation and improved living standards. ISSER's director said the country's next phase of economic policy should focus on creating jobs rather than simply improving macroeconomic indicators, with expansion in the services sector resulting in employment opportunities particularly for young people.
2 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research argues that Ghana's fiscal consolidation should prioritise efficient use of public funds, not only expenditure reductions. The institute's director stressed that the government should complete existing projects before committing resources to new ones to maximise public investment benefits.
2 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research cautioned that Ghana's increasing reliance on gold for international reserves exposes the country to financial risk if global gold prices decline, and warned that the current fiscal consolidation and monetary sterilization approach to containing inflation is costly for the central bank and unsustainable long-term.
31 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Paramount Chief of Assin Kushea called on administrators to uphold ethical standards to curb corruption and strengthen institutions, telling the 8th Annual Administrators Conference of CIAMC that integrity, accountability and professionalism are crucial to institutional success.
30 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Ghana's Supreme Court ruled the delegate system used by political parties to elect presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional, requiring all registered members in good standing to participate directly instead. A governance expert cautioned that while the decision may broaden participation, it is unlikely to reduce the influence of money in internal party elections.
29 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Professor Peter Quartey has been appointed Provost of the College of Education at the University of Ghana, effective August 1, 2026, for a three-year term. He brings extensive academic and administrative experience, currently serving as Acting Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy since 2025.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Former ISSER director Professor Peter Quartey has urged the Finance Minister to use the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation and accelerate investment in infrastructure, agriculture, and manufacturing to create jobs, arguing that the next phase of economic management should focus on expanding productive sectors capable of generating employment and sustaining growth.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Former ISSER director Professor Peter Quartey has called on the Finance Minister to use the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review to outline measures for improving domestic revenue mobilisation after weaker-than-expected tax collections in the first quarter. While acknowledging Ghana's recent macroeconomic stability in inflation, exchange rates and fiscal performance, Quartey cautioned that stabilisation alone is insufficient and the economy must move toward stronger revenue generation and addressing unemployment.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Stakeholders at Ghana's National Justice Conference called for sustainable financing of child protection systems, warning that inadequate funding could undermine efforts to combat child labour exploitation and trafficking. The conference, held in Accra, brought together government officials, lawmakers, civil society organisations, faith leaders, survivors and development partners to discuss strengthening long-term interventions for vulnerable children.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A new ISSER policy brief estimates that every cedi invested in improving Ghana's waste management and sanitation could generate GH¢556 in annual economic benefits if the country matches spending levels of lower-middle-income economies. Current spending delivers GH¢180 in returns per cedi invested; increasing investment from GH¢38.78 to GH¢1,028 per tonne of waste would reduce sanitation-related illness by 97.4 per cent and deaths by 81 per cent while boosting productivity and saving billions annually.
6 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A University of Ghana study finds that Ghana loses more than GH¢6.2 billion yearly to poor waste management and sanitation through preventable diseases, healthcare costs, and lost productivity, while MMDAs spend only GH¢180.2 million on waste management and sanitation combined. The research attributes major economic losses to sanitation-related diseases including malaria, cholera and typhoid, which cause 31.9 million lost work and school days annually and approximately 107,222 premature deaths.
3 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Recent floods in Greater Accra displaced families and destroyed businesses, with government officials citing blocked drainage systems, poor sanitation, and development along waterways as major contributors. The article argues that while climate change and intense rainfall play a role, many of Ghana's flood disasters are worsened by poor waste disposal, with plastic bags and refuse filling gutters designed for drainage.
2 July 2026 · The Chronicle →