National Statistician calls for public support for 2010 census
Dr. Grace Bediako, Government statistician on Thursday inaugurated the Brong-Ahafo Regional Census implementation Committee in Sunyani, with a call for public support to ensure the success of the national exercise.
She noted that population census is a huge and enormous exercise, which needed massive attention from the general public by providing field officers with accurate, relevant and up-to-date information on demographic, social and economic characteristics.
To this end, Dr. Bediako said 50,000 field officers would be recruited and trained to enable them understand the concept of population census and other basic information data to undertake the exercise.
The 12 -member committee is chaired by Mr. Felix Chaahaah, Regional Co-ordinating Director.
Dr. Bediako explained that population census is a universally recommended statistical exercise that every country should undertake at specified intervals mainly in line with the international guidelines of 10 years interval.
She said such an exercise required the mobilisation of substantial human and financial resources to successfully execute it.
Dr. Bediako said Ghana Statistical Service intends to hold a breakfast meeting with the private sector to sensitise them on the need to support the exercise.
"We must get to every settlement, home, institution, group and individuals during the census count to record all inhabitants and their characteristics," she said.
She said as the exercise drew near, there was the need to broaden the support base and tap the wide range of skills from all segments of the society to constitute a pool of expertise needed to undertake the exercise.
Dr. Bediako said: "We have therefore drawn from non-governmental institutions, as well as individuals experts to constitute the census machinery."
She charged the committee to work assiduously in helping identify settlements and localities and also meet the relevant requirements needed for a good census.
Mr. Eric Opoku, Deputy Regional Minister, noted that since the last population census in 2000, Ghana had gone through a number of changes and transformation.
He said the 2010 census had become necessary since government needed essential data for the formulation of national policies and programmes.
"The results of the population census will be a critical reference to ensuring equity in the distribution of the national cake and the revision of electoral areas and constituents," Mr. Opoku said.
He said considering the high level of illiteracy in the country, it was essential to engage religious bodies, assembly members and chiefs to make the exercise a success.
Mr. David Kombat, member of the National Census
Co-ordinating team disclosed that the country's first modern census was done in 1996, which recorded a national head count of 6,726,815.
He said in the 2000 census, national population stood at 24.5 million and underscored the importance to provide an up-to-date socio-economic data for effective planning at both national and sub-national levels.
Mr. Kombat said this year's census would cover important areas such as mortality, disability, Information Communication and Technology, agriculture and community facilities.