Dr. Bediako was asked to proceed on leave …due to poor performance

DR. Grace Bediako

The Board of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) says its decision to ask the Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako, to proceed on leave, was due to her poor management of some projects run by the Service

The Board disclosed that a group of international partners comprising the World Bank, European Union (EU) and Department for International Development ( DFID ) which assessed the performance of the Service, threatened to withhold funding to the Service

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Board Chairman, Prof. Francis Duodoo in Accra yesterday. It said the observations of the partners chimed perfectly with the Board's own previous concerns.

The statement stressed that in line with the Board's efforts at restructuring the Service, Dr. Bediako had to be asked to proceed on leave

It added that while the Service was performing poorly, “Conversely, the international partners praised the delivery of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), which had the Deputy Government Statistician, Dr. Nyarko, at its helm.”

This explains the Board's decision to ask Dr. Philomena Nyarko to act as Government Statistician. The statement denied claims that Dr Bediako had been forced out to allow for a manipulation of the census results for political purposes.

It stated that: 'No one on the Board has asked anyone in management to doctor any figures on the Census, for any reasons including the 2012 elections. Also, and for the avoidance of doubt, there has been absolutely no request or directive from Government in this direction.

'The Service will continue to remain independent in the delivery of its functions. Likewise, the suggestion that anyone is trying to take control of a World Bank fund (presumably the MDTF) is categorically unfounded, and is effectively impossible, given the Bank's tight system of controls'.

The entire nation is aware of the challenges faced in the recent census, and the Board has been actively considering ways of resolving the issues that have delayed the release of the census, at the same that it oversees a restructuring of the Service.

The Board, therefore, expressed its appreciation to the general public for the support received over the years, and to state that the Service will work tirelessly to ensure the production of credible statistical information for national development.

Most immediately, the Service will strive to release the 2010 Population and Housing Census results, by the stipulated goal of March 31st, 2012. All stakeholders, and particularly the press, are invited to lend their support to the Service to help it attain its national goals, the statement indicated.

PIC: Dr Grace Bediako, Former Government Statistician