Friday, 29 March

GSS to mop up 2021 PHC, says "no one will be left behind"

General News
GSS boss

 

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has assured the Ghanaian public that “no one will be left behind” as it has scheduled a mop-up exercise for the 2021 Population and Housing Census from July 12 to July 18.

Some Ghanaians have complained that they have not been counted in the ongoing exercise.

The GSS initially scheduled the exercise for March 2020 but rescheduled it to June 2020 and later postponed to 2021 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Updating Ghanaians on the progress of the census so far at a press conference on Sunday, 11 July 2021, Government Statistician Prof Samuel Kobina Annim said “data has been received on 80% of the expected households as at the 12th day of enumeration with 12 out of the 16 regions above 80%. This ranges from 97% in the North East to 55% in Greater Accra.”

He, however, said the completion rates in some districts based on the data received by the 12th day indicate that the enumeration will have to continue.

Explaining why there are low enumeration in some districts, Prof Annim said there is “some reluctance of residents in specific households to participate in the census” as well as “unwillingness of entire communities to participate in the census due to boundary issues, inaccessibility of respondents (persons leaving early for work and returning late in urban areas, farming and mining communities)” coupled with “larger-than-expected number of structures/population in rapidly expanding urban areas”.

He also noted that “whenever a member of the public calls with questions/concerns about the completeness and content of the interview, an investigation must be conducted which involves the enumerator and supervisor being pulled from the field”.

He noted that members of the public who have not been counted should contact the census call centre on the toll free number 0800-426-426 or on 059- 147-6893, 059-147-6895, 059-476-884, or 020-685-0157

Below is the full speech delivered by Prof Annim:

2021 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS

Press Briefing

Ghana Statistical Service

| 11th July 2021 |

1. Ghana Statistical Service expresses its appreciation to the public for their cooperation with census officials during the period.

2. The interest of the general public in being counted is high. The call centre has received over 2,000 calls from the public with concerns of not being listed or enumerated; questions about the exhaustiveness of the interview, and concerns about enumerator identity. In some cases, they are also calling the District Census Officers, Regional Statisticians and other Census Officials directly.

3. Data has been received on 80% of the expected households as at the 12th day of enumeration with 12 out of the 16 regions above 80%. This ranges from 97% in the North East to 55% in Greater Accra.

4. To put these figures in context, the numbers are based on the data that has been transmitted electronically to Headquarters. In some areas, Enumerators are unable to transmit their data due to poor or absent internet connectivity.

5. Out of the 272 statistical districts, 181 are on course to complete data collection today.

6. Currently the completion rates in some districts based on the data received by the 12th day indicate that the enumeration will have to continue.

These include:

a. Ga West

b. Ga North

c. Ayawaso West Municipal

d. Adentan Municipal

e. Ga East

f. Ledzokuku

g. La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal

h. Kpone Katamanso

i. Shai Osudoku

j. Tema West

7. Reasons for the below expected pace of work in selected areas

a. Reluctance of residents in specific households to participate in the census

b. Unwillingness of entire communities to participate in the census due to boundary issues

c. Inaccessibility of respondents (persons leaving early for work and returning late in urban areas, farming and mining communities).

d. Larger than expected number of structures/population in rapidly expanding urban areas

e. Whenever, a member of the public calls with questions/concerns about the completeness and content of the interview, an investigation must be conducted which involves the Enumerator and Supervisor being pulled from the field

8. Field closure activities have begun in Supervisory Areas where work has been completed.

9. An initial mop-up period of 12th to 18th July has been scheduled to complete the work in the outstanding enumeration areas.

10.GSS wishes to assure members of the public who are yet to be counted that no one will be left behind. Members of the public who have not been counted should contact the census call centre on the toll-free number 0800-426-426 or on 059- 147-6893, 059-147-6895, 059-476-884, or 020-685-0157

11.Census Management is appealing to the members of the public who are unwilling to be enumerated to cooperate with Enumerators.

12.To persons yet to be counted, please make yourselves available by using the call back card or informing your neighbours when you will be available.

 

Source: classfmonline.com/Emmanuel Mensah