Ghana Statistical Services (GSS), Vodafone Ghana and the Flowminder Foundation have released a second mobility analysis report which shows how population movements have changed since mobility restrictions were introduced and lifted, as part of supporting the Government of Ghana in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Ghana Statistical Service and the Flowminder Foundation have extended their mobility analysis using anonymised and aggregated Call Detail Records (CDR data) from Vodafone Ghana, following a first report released on 03 April. Organisations analysed the effects of mobility and social distancing interventions between 17 February and 03 May, highlighting the differences in population movements before, during and after the mobility restrictions were introduced, including the lockdown in parts of the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Areas.
Tracey Li, Data Scientist at Flowminder explains:
“Our analysis highlights dramatic reductions in mobile subscribers’ movements between districts and between regions throughout the period of study. We paid particular attention to the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions but also analysed movements in other areas around the country. Overall, we see similar trends across the areas of study compared to the norm: a reduction of movements when the first measures were introduced, and a significant decrease in journeys during the lockdown period. Now the lockdown has been lifted, we’re starting to see an increase in movements again, but lower than what was the norm back in February.”
Professor Samuel Annim, Government Statistician, at GSS comments:
“The observation that mobility after the lift of the partial lockdown remains at levels well below mobility during the periods of the baseline and the initial restrictions (including sanctioning social distancing and adherence to public health hygienic protocols) endorses the effectiveness of the use of moral suasion as a complementary intervention in the fight against COVID-19. Residents in Ghana deserve commendation for not reversing to the ways of living prior to the imposition of the initial restrictions and are therefore urged to continue with change in behaviour in order to contain the epidemic.”
Mobility insights are made possible, in near real-time, through the use of anonymised and aggregated mobile operator data from Vodafone Ghana.
Patricia Obo-Nai, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vodafone Ghana says:
“We recognise the value that our data, which is anonymised and processed in a way that maintains the privacy of our subscribers, can bring to support the Government’s response against COVID-19. This second report highlights how mobility insights can support policy making as it provides the Government with an accurate picture of how mobile subscribers moved between districts and regions.”
The report presents changes in travel within and between regions as well as changes in dispersion, (how people spread out from one region to another).
The report can be downloaded from GSS’ website at www.statsghana.gov.gh.
Methods used to produce these indicators are available on Flowminder’s website dedicated to supporting the COVID-19 pandemic response at covid19.flowminder.org.