The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has announced a new date for the 2020 Population and Housing Census.
The 2020 Population and Housing Census would now take place from June 29 to July 12 this year.
Previously, the programme was slated for March this year.
The Government Statistician, Professor Samuel K. Annim who announced this in Accra yesterday said June 28 would be declared as the “Census Night,” which is the reference point for the start of the Housing and Population Census.
He said the GSS would begin the listing of structures for the ease of the population census from June 15 to June 28.
Professor Annim confirmed that government had approved an amount of GH¢477 million for the two-week exercise.
The Government Statistician disclosed that geospational instruments would be deployed in this year’s population census to capture the structures and people due to the expansion of towns and growing population.
Prof. Annim also indicated that the geospatial instrument would help to estimate the number of structures in the fast growing settlements.
The Government Statistician said the Service decided to change the date of the population census due to the numerous political activities in the country.
He said the GSS settled on June because it was considered a “relatively stable period.”
The Government Statistician disclosed that about 70,000 field officers had been engaged for the 2020 Housing and Population Census.
According to him, some development partners and institutions from the United Kingdom were supporting the GSS to carry out the Population and Housing Census.
Population and Housing Census is done every 10 years, to among other things, accurately determine the number of people living in the country.
Ghana’s growth rate is currently estimated at 2.5 per cent and the population of the country was projected at 30.2 million.
But the impending programme would help the country to accurately determine the number of people living in the country.
The average annual growth rate between the year 2000 and 2010, according to the GSS was 2.5 per cent with 2.4 per cent recorded in 1960 to 1970, 2.6 per cent in 1970 to 1984 and 2.7 per cent in 1984 to 2000.
The figures, the Service indicated that the lowest and highest annual growth rates were recorded in the periods 1960 to 1970 and 1984 to 2000 respectively over the 50 years.
The last time Ghana conducted Housing and Population Census was 2010.
Ghana, according to GSS carried out its first Population and Housing Census in 1960.
In 1960, the country’s population was 6.7million; it increased to 8.5million in 1970, soared to 12.2 in 1984 and inched to 18.9 million and 24.6million in 2000 and 2010 respectively, currently estimated at 30.2 million.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
