By Kofi Ahovi
Cabinet is said to decide on the Census Night next week, Businessweek has gathered.
The decision would allow the 2010 Population and Housing Census to take off. Historically, the Population and Housing Census is held in March after the declaration of the Census Night, but this year things did not go as planned.
The Census Night is usually declared on a Sunday, during which a snapshot of the population within the confines of Ghana is taken to determine where people spent their night on midnight. The following Monday is then declared a public holiday.
Government Statistician Dr. Grace Bediako told Joy fm last week that the Statistical Service was waiting on the decision of cabinet in order to start the census.
Already the Statistical Service has conducted trial census in five District Assemblies across the country between October and November 2009. The Assemblies include Saboba and Chereponi in the Northern Region, Bia in the Western Region, Sene in the Bono Ahafo Region, Ewutu Senya in the Central Region as well as parts of Legon and East Legon in the Greater Accra Region. These Assemblies according to Dr. Grace Badiako, have specific cases which will be used as a test case for the main census to be conducted this year.
Also, over 45,000 volunteers mostly students from tertiary institutions would be recruited by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) for the exercise. The volunteers will be spread across 36,000 enumeration areas throughout the country to do the counting.
The exercise is estimated at US$50 million with 80% of the cost going into field work which includes transportation, training of personnel and payment of allowances to field officers.
GSS is determined to make to make the 2010 census a model for Africa and will therefore do everything possible to make it a success.
Ghana's population is currently estimated at 25 million. The 2010 Population and Housing Census will be the 5th in succession after Ghana became a republic.
Cabinet is said to decide on the Census Night next week, Businessweek has gathered.
The decision would allow the 2010 Population and Housing Census to take off. Historically, the Population and Housing Census is held in March after the declaration of the Census Night, but this year things did not go as planned.
The Census Night is usually declared on a Sunday, during which a snapshot of the population within the confines of Ghana is taken to determine where people spent their night on midnight. The following Monday is then declared a public holiday.
Government Statistician Dr. Grace Bediako told Joy fm last week that the Statistical Service was waiting on the decision of cabinet in order to start the census.
Already the Statistical Service has conducted trial census in five District Assemblies across the country between October and November 2009. The Assemblies include Saboba and Chereponi in the Northern Region, Bia in the Western Region, Sene in the Bono Ahafo Region, Ewutu Senya in the Central Region as well as parts of Legon and East Legon in the Greater Accra Region. These Assemblies according to Dr. Grace Badiako, have specific cases which will be used as a test case for the main census to be conducted this year.
Also, over 45,000 volunteers mostly students from tertiary institutions would be recruited by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) for the exercise. The volunteers will be spread across 36,000 enumeration areas throughout the country to do the counting.
The exercise is estimated at US$50 million with 80% of the cost going into field work which includes transportation, training of personnel and payment of allowances to field officers.
GSS is determined to make to make the 2010 census a model for Africa and will therefore do everything possible to make it a success.
Ghana's population is currently estimated at 25 million. The 2010 Population and Housing Census will be the 5th in succession after Ghana became a republic.
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