Social Protection and Psychological Well-Being Among Low-Income Workers in Urban Ghana

Many urban residents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) earn a living in the informal economic sector. However, precarity in the sector, along with weaknesses in social protection and welfare services, can be detrimental to the psychological well-being of actors, although little research has documented this multidimensional issue empirically, particularly in LMICs. This study addresses this lacuna by examining how economic conditions, perceptions and attitudes, and experiences of social protection and welfare services are connected to the psychological well-being of low-income informal workers in urban Ghana from social citizenship, public well-being, and fundamental cause theories lenses. It used a phenomenological qualitative design to gather data from 42 workers in the Greater Kumasi Area. Thematic and content analyses showed that informal workers predominantly lived on a “hand to mouth” basis, with many unable to meet basic personal and family obligations, leading to a state of life dissatisfaction. Their situation was complicated by their perceived absence and low knowledge of social protection and welfare programmes. Such perceptions were linked to distrust in the willingness or capacity of the government to offer support, and they doubted whether they would benefit from such provisions due to perceived unfairness and low recognition of their citizenry rights in social protection services. These perceptions ignited feelings of “neglect” by the state and “unhappiness” as their plea for social assistance and responsive labour market programmes (e.g., start-up capital and appropriate infrastructure for safe working conditions) mostly remain unanswered. Thus, current and future welfare programmes must be (re)vitalised in ways that cater to the needs of socially disadvantaged but often forgotten groups, such as low-income informal workers, considering the influence of social protection arrangements (even if perceived) for their happiness and sense of fulfilment.