The census at the test starts in 3 regions

General News of Monday, June 3, 2019

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

2019-06-03

In preparation for the 2020 Population and Housing Census, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) will begin this morning with a trial version in three selected districts in three regions of the country.

These are Dormaa West in the Bono area, Bunkprugu in the Northeast region and the Accra metropolis, specifically Ashiedu Keteke, Ledzokuku, Korley Klottey, West Ayawaso and South Okaikoi in the region. of Greater Accra.

Yesterday, midnight was declared by the Test Census Overnight Service as a reference point for collecting information and counting residents in designated areas.

Mr Francis Nyarko-Larbi, head of the committee on advertising, education and advocacy on the census, said Saturday in the Ghanaian Times that everything was ready for the three-month exercise.

The census is conducted in accordance with the 1985 Statistical Services Act (PNDCL 135), which empowers the government statistician to conduct statistical surveys and any census in Ghana.

This is an essential national exercise that takes into account each person living in Ghana at the time of the census and establishes other important demographic details about each individual in the country.

The 2020 census planned for March would be the sixth in the country after six more conducted in ten years in 1960, 1970, 1984, 2000 and 2010.

In 1960, the population was 6.7 million inhabitants; it increased to 8.5 million in 1970, 12.3 million in 1984 and 18.9 million and 24.6 million in 2000 and 2010 respectively. It is currently estimated at 30 million.

According to Nyarko-Larbi, the experimental census was in line with the UN recommendations guiding the conduct of population and housing censuses around the world.

The goal, he said, was to provide a foundation for accurate reporting and data collection and to help identify problems they may face in the multi-step census in order to correct them.

This year's test census, he said, was of paramount importance, as the ESG would for the first time use electronic data collection with other technologies. geospatial, which has been recommended by the UN for the 2020 census.

Mr. Nyarko-Larbi said that 250 GSS census officials, as of May 26, had visited the communities designated for the test census to identify and number homes and homes. other structures to ensure complete coverage of all households.

He estimated that the 2020 census would cost about 500 million GH ¢.

Until now, he said residents of the selected areas were shown to be cooperative and that the exercise was proceeding smoothly.

He therefore invited all persons residing in the selected communities to cooperate with the census agents to ensure the success of the census at the test.