The Ghana Statistical Service says the 2020 population and housing census, (PHC), will be unique in its adoption of two cardinal interventions including digitization and computer assisted personal interviews.
The Head of Census Publicity, Education and Advocacy, Francis Nyarkol-larbi who revealed this said significant progress has been made towards the 2020 census to ensure that the exercise goes paperless and smooth.
He stated that three main national-level committees made up of the National Census Steering Committee, the National Census Technical Advisory Committee and National Census Publicity and Education Committee have been formed, inaugurated and working ahead of the census.
Over sixty thousand field workers are expected to be recruited and trained for the successful implementation of the exercise.
Mr. Nyarkol-larbi was speaking at the Inauguration of the Upper West Regional Census Implementation Committee in Wa.
Ghana has successfully conducted five censuses since independence in 1957 and the last census was conducted in 2010.
The results of these have provided the country with a wide range of data for the use of central government, regional and district administrators for development purposes.
Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), is expected to have the sixth post-independence population census conducted in March 2020 next year.
Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku who performed the inauguration of the committee for the Regional Minister said the country has undergone changes in population distribution and settlement patterns in many areas due to the creation of new regions and districts.
He said in order to effectively track these changes for even distribution and some other socio-economic characteristics there is the need for the census.
“Distinguish Ladies and gentlemen the upcoming census will provide the country with the opportunity of updating data on demographic and socio-economic characteristic at national, regional and district and locality levels.
The census will also provide results that will be a critical reference to ensure equity in the distribution of the nation’s resources, government services and representation at both national, regional and district levels.
The 2020 census will also afford the country with opportunity of revising its electoral areas and constituencies, and also provide us with an updated sampling frame to be used for future statistical enquiries” the Deputy Regional Minister Amidu Chinnia Issahaku stated.
Mr. Issahaku noted that data to be provided by the census can also be used to track progress of poverty reduction programmes and other core targets of the economy that will facilitate the tracking of progress toward the achievement of the sustainable Development Goals.
He appealed to the committee members to be open minded and work as a team towards the successful population and housing census in the region.
The Head of Census Publicity, Education and Advocacy, Francis Nyarkol-larbi assured Ghanaians of best quality outcome of the 2020 population census.
He said all square meters of the country must be covered to locate all settlement.
“In the cartographic work literary every square meter of our country had to be covered including all settlement irrespective of their uses or functions.
“As we intensify the publicity and education programme and roll out to communities we must get all settlement, institutions, group or individuals during the census count. We will record all the inhabitants and their characteristics and during the main field work every structure whether use for business, religious or residence will be captured. All individuals irrespective of their nationalities who were within the country borders at a single reference point should have their characteristic, demographic, social and economic recorded” Mr Nyarkol-larbi said.
The eight (8)-member committee include, the Regional Coordinating Director as Chairman, Regional Statistician, Regional Information Officer, and Regional Population Officer.
The rest are Regional Director of Health, Regional Director of Education, Representative of Regional House of Chiefs and Director National Commission for Civic Education.
The Committee is expected to inaugurate subcommittees in the various districts and municipalities in the region to steer the affairs of the census at that level.
The Chairman of the Committee Gilbert Nuuri-teg thanked the Ghana Statistical service and the Regional Coordinating Council for the trust reposed in them and pledged that they will work hard to ensure the success of the exercise.
Story filed by Dennis Bebane
