Ex Government Statistician Calls For Special Fund For Future Census

Daasebre Professor Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, has called for the setting up of a special fund backed by law for conducting future census in the country. He said the fund would ensure that the 10- year benchmark set by the UN for conducting census is made mandatory and easy without the excuse of successive governments, that the exercise could not be carried out due to lack of funds. Daasebre Oti Boateng said if the fund is backed by law organisation of the census would become a statutory requirement. The former Government Statistician made the call when he and his household were enumerated at his palace in Koforidua at the weekend. He observed that the Population and Housing Census is an important benchmark for the measure of democracy and Ghana cannot afford to toy with it, since it would give vivid analysis of the demographic information of the country. Daasebre Oti Boateng recalled that it was 26 years ago, when he organised one of Ghana's census, adding that because there was no legal backing to the exercise, it took a long time before another one was organised in 2000. He said the trend is not good, because ideally and in the interest of clear analysis, it is important that every 10 years a census is organised. Daasebre Oti Boateng asked the census officials to gather information and data accurately in order to come out with the right demographic and statistical report at the end of the exercise. The Municipal Census officer, Mr Abakah Ansah who led the team to enumerate the chief, said everything was on course for the smooth end of the exercise. He indicated that, all the interventions including the enumeration of the floating population on the census night and the institutional enumeration went on well.