African Statistics Day launched in Accra
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has launched this year’s African Statistics Day at the Makola Market in Accra with a call on industry players to supply complete and accurate data to inform policy decisions.
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The service is also making plans to hold the monthly consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) and other economic indicators at selected markets and shops across the country as part of measures to bring its programmes to the doorstep of industry players after many years of break.
This year’s celebration, which will last for about a week, is on the theme: “Better lives with better economic statistics.”
In May 1990, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) adopted November 18 as African Statistics Day.
The day is celebrated every year by national statistical offices in Africa to raise public awareness of the importance of statistics in all aspects of social and economic life.
It also provides an opportunity to advocate major statistical operations, including censuses and surveys.
Demonstration
At the function, various demonstrations were carried out on how the service usually collects data from the public.
Members and executives of the market women association were given the opportunity to share their views on how the GSS can continue to build relationship with its stakeholders.
In his address, the acting Government Statistician, Mr Baah Wadieh, underscored the importance of statistics to nation building.
“Using statistics, we are able to know the sectoral composition of all trends in the economy and, therefore, policies for growth and transformation can be designed.
“Trade statistics for instance provide information on the volume and value of goods and services that move in and out of the country, and thus the direction of trade,” he said.
Collaboration
Mr Wadieh called for close collaboration among stakeholders to make data collection and dissemination easier.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Statistical Association, Dr Albert Luguterah, said there was the need to bridge the gap between statisticians and the public to obtain reliable data to enhance the development of the nation.
He also applauded the adoption of new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools to enhance statistics practice.
The Secretary of the Market Women Association at Kwasiadwaso at Makola, Ms Mansa Aidoo, welcomed the call for collaboration among stakeholders to enhance data collection.