President Mahama swears n Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu as Government Statistician

President John Mahama has officially sworn in Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu as the new Government Statistician, urging him to uphold the highest standards of independence, boldness, innovation, and professionalism in leading the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

Speaking at the ceremony, President Mahama described the Statistical Service as a key strategic partner in national development planning, economic management, and democratic accountability.

He emphasized the critical role of credible data in shaping government policy, business decisions, and attracting investor confidence.

He challenged Dr. Iddrisu to “provide effective and credible data that can be relied upon by government, businesses, investors, and international bodies.”

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to non-interference, President Mahama assured Dr. Iddrisu of full autonomy in carrying out his duties. He encouraged him to “freely produce real-time data, regardless of its implications for the government,” stressing the value of transparency for academia, the private sector, and the broader investment community.

Expectations and Key Mandates
President Mahama outlined specific expectations for Dr. Iddrisu’s tenure, calling on him to align with national priorities and global best practices. He urged the new statistician to ensure the timely delivery of accurate data to support the government’s socio-economic transformation agenda.

Among the top mandates assigned to Dr. Iddrisu are:

• Supporting key government initiatives such as the 24-hour economy, agricultural transformation, and job creation programs including Adwumawura and the National Apprenticeship Program with reliable data.

• Accelerating the long-overdue rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) statistics, and institutionalizing a three-year rebasing cycle.

• Ensuring the regular production of quarterly employment and unemployment statistics to guide labor policy and economic planning.

• Collaborating with relevant institutions to build a data-driven Ghana anchored in credible, timely, and actionable evidence.

President Mahama expressed confidence in Dr. Iddrisu’s ability to meet these expectations, reiterating that strong statistical systems are foundational to effective governance and sustainable development.