Accra, Sept. 27, GNA - Rounds made by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to some of the lorry parks in Accra showed that, squatters at those places were not aware of the Census Night programme. According to some of the squatters, the publicity for the night had been low, compared to other national exercises. Ms Eunice Larbi, a biscuit seller at the Peki Station behind the the time the enumeration would start.
She however gave the assurance to cooperate with the enumerators by providing them with the needed information to make the exercise successful.
Ms Akua Asor, a bread seller also at the station however indicated that she was not aware of the exercise. She said even though she slept at the station, to enable her to sell, she normally goes to her permanent rented room every two weeks and would have preferred to be counted at home. Mr Akorful Quainoo, a driver's mate said he would prefer to be enumerated in his hometown rather than the station, where he was squatting.
At the Accra Tema station, 37 people had been counted by the census enumerators. They were made up of five Nigeriens and 32 Ghanaians. Ms Harriet Brook, an enumerator said most of the squatters at the station were cooperative.
She said the main challenge was the refusal of squatters to be woken from their sleep. The other, she said, was t he inability of some people to give the enumerators certain important information about themselves, especially their age and occupation.
Midnight of Sunday, referred to as Census Night, is the specific time that will be used to determine where an eligible individual is to be enumerated. The two-week exercise, which ends on October 10, is also to collect data on the composition and distribution of Ghana's population, the residential accommodation and facilities in use. "This information will be crucial in determining the development policy direction of the county," according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). It adds that the census will be an important source of comprehensive data on persons with disabilities, helping to assess their social and living conditions in terms of school attendance and educational attainment, employment, marital status and living arrangements.
This is the first time disability issues are being included in the Population and Housing Census. GSS says the census is to cover all persons within the borders of Ghana at midnight on Sunday, irrespective of nationality and civil status.
It will also include a housing census, which is the official enumeration of all living quarters, either occupied or vacant, and occupants thereof at that time. At the Kotoka International Airport, Officials told the GNA that census personnel only took into account passengers, who would be leaving the airport after midnight.
They said the census personnel at the airport told them that passengers coming into the country would be counted at their respective destinations.
Incidentally, due to temporary operational works at the airport, aircrafts do not depart or arrive at the airport after midnight until 0500 hours The KIA therefore remains calm without much activity or work for the enumerators. 27 Sept. 10
