Ghana Statistical Service signs MoUs with 25 state institutions to strengthen national data system
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has entered into cooperation agreements with 25 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in a move designed to strengthen the country’s national statistical architecture and improve the use of government data in policymaking.
The Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) establish a framework for public institutions to work closely with the Statistical Service in managing and sharing administrative data, with the aim of producing reliable official statistics to guide national development planning.
Officials say the agreements will help streamline the way data generated across government institutions is collected, analysed and applied in monitoring development programmes.
One of the institutions involved in the collaboration is the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, which is expected to work with the Statistical Service to strengthen the production of data on Ghana’s digital economy.
The minister responsible for the sector, Samuel Nartey George, signed the agreement on behalf of the ministry.
Through the partnership, the ministry and the Statistical Service will work together to improve systems for collecting information on information and communication technology (ICT), incorporate digital indicators into national surveys and enhance the monitoring of policies related to digital inclusion and technological innovation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, said the initiative reflected government’s determination to strengthen the role of credible data in public sector decision-making.
“We are gathered here today not merely to sign documents, but to strengthen the foundations of evidence-based governance in Ghana. Today’s joint signing ceremony between the Ghana Statistical Service and twenty-five Ministries, Departments and Agencies represents an important step toward building a more coordinated, transparent and data-driven public sector,” he said.
For his part, the Government Statistician, Alhassan Iddrisu, said the new agreements would turn the statutory mandate of the Statistical Service into practical collaboration across the public sector.
“The MoUs we are signing today create a clear framework for Ministries, Departments and Agencies to collaborate with the Ghana Statistical Service so that administrative data generated across government can be transformed into high-quality official statistics that guide national development,” he noted.
The event also brought together several senior government officials and development partners, including the Head of Civil Service, Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Zia Choudhury, and the Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem.
Authorities believe the strengthened cooperation between the Statistical Service and public institutions will improve the quality of official statistics and provide a stronger evidence base for policy decisions, resource allocation and monitoring of Ghana’s development priorities.
