The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Upper West Akim Constituency in the Eastern Region, Frederick Adom Obeng, has stated that the Population and Housing Census will guide the government on accelerating national development goals.
“Development programmes place heavy demand for increased availability of information to guide the path towards socio-economic development and a major exercise for planning, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes,” he noted.
Speaking at the official launch of the 30-day Population and Housing Census night at Adeiso, Mr Obeng called for cooperation from all towards a successful exercise and assured that the census would provide an enormous amount and variety of information to support and assist the district’s key decisions to help attract new businesses, national development processes which needed participation by all.
Emmanuel Nketisah, the district census officer, informed the participants the main goal of the census was to achieve complete coverage of all structures and persons in the district, which dovetailed into the “leave no one behind agenda” of growth and development.
Eugene Sackey, Acting District Chief Executive for Upper West, called on constituents to support and assist in the exercise by availing themselves to be counted and disclosed that sustaining efforts to conduct the census within a year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, made Ghana one of the few African countries that endeavoured to conduct their census regularly.
“The government is committed, dedicated and determined towards evidence-base decision-making and planning in all facets and the census would provide adequate information to measure, monitor and estimate progress on the national development agenda.
“We must be ready to welcome census officials into our communities, places of residence and to provide complete and accurate information for your enumeration and
remember, the information given to officials is strictly confidential and will be handled only by persons who have taken the Oath of Secrecy.
“This is not an era to create controversy and confusion around this important national development activity, and I will plead with you to assist and support the education, sensitisation and advocacy activities by disseminating only reliable information and facilitate constructive discussions on issues about the census,” Mr Sackey entreated.
Samuel Antwi-Boasiako, the District Coordinating Director, pledged the Assembly’s support and assistance to conduct a successful census.-GNA
