Withdraw ‘ethnocentric’ 2021 PHC instrument now – Policy Think tank to GSS

The Centre for Socioeconomic Studies (CSS), a research and policy think tank has called on the Ghana Statistical Service(GSS) to immediately withdraw the enumeration instrument meant to be used for the census night.

A Press Statement issued by the CSS on Wednesday asked the Ghana Statistical Service to as a matter of urgency provide further sub-classifications under the general Ewe ethnic group in the enumeration Instrument before census night.

The 2021 PHC instruments identified and coded sub-ethnic groups of major ethnic groups except for the Ewe ethnic group which has no sub-ethnic codings in the enumeration instruments.

The instruments failed to account for Ewe sub-ethnic groups such as Aŋlɔ, Tɔŋu, Ʋedome, Aɖaklu, Avenɔ, Ɖakpa but account for sub-ethnic groups of all other major ethnic groups in Ghana.

The CSS, however, argues that it is only proper that the GSS goes back to correct the grave anomaly and account for all major ethnic groups and sub-groups and their diversity else the resulting census data cannot be deemed reliable.

“The Centre for Socioeconomic Studies (CSS) notes with grave concern the plain ethnocentric and anti-development character of the enumeration instrument issued by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS)for the 2021 Ghana Population and Housing Census (PHC).

“We note that the enumeration instrument provides for different codes for major ethnic groups in Ghana. We also note that the Instrument provides sub- classifications or subdivisions of the major ethnic groups and further assigns sub-codes to these sub-ethnic divisions under the broad categories. This information can be found In Appendix 4 of the instrument (ethnic Groups and Their Ethnic. Codes). However, for Ewes (Code: 301), who are one of the major ethnic groups in Ghana, there is one group titled ‘Ewes’ with no subdivision or sub-classification as the GSS has done for all other major ethnic groups. The conduct of the GSS in this regard is condemnable and renders the enumeration instrument disqualified for use in the 2021 census,” aspects of the statement read.

The GSS has set 27th June 2021 as the Census Night after which nationwide enumeration of households and institutions begins.