Housing census will be inclusive — Statistical Service

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has said that the upcoming Population and Housing Census will be an inclusive exercise where every tribe in Ghana will be captured without discrimination, no matter the size of their numbers.

Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, gave the assurance when he interacted with a section of journalists last Friday. He said although some tribes had started expressing concerns for not seeing their tribe as arranged in the main tribe categories, such did not mean that they had been overlooked or discriminated against.

He was responding to concerns raised by the Centre for Socioeconomic Studies and some traditional heads over fears that they might not be registered in the upcoming exercise.

Explaining further, Prof. Annim said since time immemorial, all population census in Ghana had had a way of capturing and grouping Ghanaian residents according to laid down and time tested arrangement that captured every tribe, no matter how large or small their size might be.

“The census will count everyone who will spend the June 27 in Ghana irrespective of ethnic group be it Fulani, or other ethnic group. So, irrespective of your nationality, ethnic group, once you spend 27th night within the borders of the country you will be counted”, he noted.

He said “we want to know the number of ethnic groups that are in Ghana and so when you look at all the census and trial census that have been conducted in Ghana, if you take the eight major ethnic groups that are in the country, it takes over 99 per cent of the different ethnic groups that are in Ghana.’’

Aside from that, he said all “other ethnic groups also matter. So, our ninth category on the ethnic group, we have other ethnic groups to accommodate all the ethnic groups that are not part of the eight major ethnic groups. There are over 100 ethnic groups that will make up the less than one per cent. So, we can’t add all in our questionnaire but will be added to the other groups”.

He has, therefore, called for all to remain calm since no one, group or tribe will be left out in the upcoming census exercise.

Preparations are still underway for the upcoming population and housing census with the GSS currently training 800,000 personnel that will be on the field to conduct the exercise.

The training is expected to be completed on June 11, 2021 with the identification and counting of structures in the country at different levels commencing on June 13, 2021.

“For purposes of the counting, all kiosks will be identified and counted”, said the Government Statistician, adding “This will give us information on housing deficit in the country”.

The night of June 27, 2021, according to Prof. Annim, would be celebrated by raising consciousness about the importance of that date by blowing sirens.

“Counting starts from the night of June 27, 2021 by counting the transit population. That is those who will be travelling on the night of 27th June 2021. From 28 to July 11, 2021 all household members will be counted”, he underscored.

The GSS was supposed to have conducted the census in 2020 but due to the COVID-19 which was at its peak then, they had to suspend it.