Do not travel to be Counted - Mahama

Mr. John Mahama, Minister of Communications on Tuesday asked Ghanaians not to travel to their villages to be counted, since this would not give a representative picture of population distribution for planning.

He also asked parents and house owners not to hide disabled persons in their homes for fear of ridicule.

Mr Mahama made these statements at the first interaction between the media and the National Publicity and Education Committee on the 2000 National Population and Housing Census (NPHC).

He indicated that people would be doing themselves and their normal places of residence a disservice if they move to their villages to be counted.

"This will create a situation where facilities required in a particular area or region might not be adequate, since people who normally live there have gone to, or have come to, another place to be counted. This would make that area or region to have either less or more than required amenities".

Mr Mahama, who is the Chairman of the National Publicity and Education Committee, urged all Ghanaians and foreigners alike to lend their maximum support to the census in order to make it a resounding success.

"Everybody, not only Ghanaians, will be counted in order to give us a basis for planning the nation," Mr. Mahama added.

The Minister appealed to all media houses to resolve to give the 2000 NPHC the needed publicity in order to help erase some misconceptions people have on the purpose of the event.

He expressed regret that current census activities seem to be clouded by the CAN 2000 tournament, saying, "publicity must be stepped up on the Census immediately the tournament ends".

Dr Kweku A. Twum-Baah, Acting Government Statistician, outlining the process of the forthcoming census said two major activities would be undertaken during the enumeration period.

"Two weeks before the census night, which falls on 26 March 2000, census officers will survey their enumeration areas and list all structures and buildings and identify possible places of habitation.

"Floating populations will also be counted during this period. People living in confined areas such as barracks, hospitals, prisons, schools and universities".

He said there would be landmark events to serve as a reference point on the midnight of 26 March for the purposes of helping enumerators and those to be counted remember their locations.

Dr Twum-Baah said two weeks after the 26 March night will be for actual counting.

He said the national census office would be able to come out with a provisional figure about 10 weeks after counting.

He assured Ghanaians that all those in presumed inaccessible areas would be reached and counted.