Department registers 3,323 deaths in Western Region

Sekondi, March 4, GNA - Mr. Stephen Odjobi Ntow, the

Western Regional Direc tor of the Department of Birth and Death, has said the Region registered 3,323 deaths last year. He said out of the figure 3,285 were adults and 38 infants. Mr. Ntow told the GNA in an interview that the Department

also registered 38,461 infants who were less than 12 months -

19,995 males and 18,466 females - whilst 14,320 infants who

were one year old to five years were also registered. He appealed to the government to resource the Department

to operate effectively, saying the funds from the government

treasury for administrative work was insufficient.

Mr Ntow said if the Department were well resourced to

register births and deaths, there would be no need for national

census in every 10 years.

He said in advanced countries the authorities just calculate

the annual birth and death rates and deduct from the previous

ones to get the population figure without conducting

population census.

Mr Ntow said staff strength of the Department was

inadequate. The region requires about 120 personnel for

effective work but has only 23 staff and some volunteers who

are not putting up their best because of lack of motivation

package. He said the Department did not have offices of their own at

the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies and had to

operate from verandas. Mr Ntow appealed for more logistics and said the

Department did not have vehicles.