Population and Housing Census begins in Hohoe in 30 days

Hohoe Municipal Census Officer, Mr Peter Kweikuma has said that everything is set for the conduct of the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) in the Hohoe Municipality.

“With the distribution of all logistics and finalisation of all systems and trial censuses, Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) is ready to conduct the 2021 PHC and their message to everyone is, You Count, Get Counted.”

Mr Kweikuma said this during the launch of 30 Days to the 2021 Population and Housing Census Night in an address delivered on behalf of the Government Statistician and the Chief Census Officer.

He said the main goal of the Census was to achieve complete coverage of all structures and persons in Ghana, which dovetailed into the “leave no one behind” agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“This necessitated the demarcation of the country into small areas to facilitate the identification of all structures and other places where people live or sleep at night,” he said.

He said the Census slogan seeks to achieve inclusivity and individual ownership of the census agenda hence the phrase ‘You Count, Get Counted’ was developed to ensure complete and accurate coverage as well as full preparation for data collection.

Mr Kweikuma said the GSS created awareness, engaged relevant stakeholders to ensure clarity on the processes and relevance, worked towards the building of partnerships and established protocols for achieving ownership and participation.

The District Census Officer called on the media to avoid all forms of inflammatory remarks that could impede the success of the census.

A sketch by students from the Hohoe E.P SHS on a live radio programme to answer possible questions that the public may ask during the census, formed part of the launch ceremony.

Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Andrews Teddy Ofori in his speech, said the Census Night, which was set for June 27, 2021, meant that persons in transit and in short-stay institutions such as hotels, guest houses and hospital in-patients would all be counted on the Night.

He said the government continued to be committed to evidence-based decision making and planning, adding that “the Census will provide us with adequate data to help us measure, monitor and estimate the extent to which we have made progress on our national development agenda.”

The MCE said the data collected would guide the country to measure the socio-economic status of its citizens.

He said the 2021 Census is unique and different from all censuses that Ghana had ever undertaken in several aspects since it would be the first fully digital census to be conducted in Ghana.

He said the Census shall cover all members of society, including the vulnerable and the disadvantaged members of our society, such as; Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), orphans and vulnerable children, the elderly and even street families.

Mr Ofori urged all persons, both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, who might be resident or non-resident, but find themselves in the Municipality on the Census Night, to be ready to welcome Census officials into their communities and places of residence and provide the necessary information for their enumeration.

He noted that the Assembly had also taken necessary steps to ensure that the Census goes on smoothly and in a safe and secured environment with minimum or no disruption.