Change 'Government Statistician' title to 'Statistician General' — Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah

President of the Institute of Statisticians and Data Scientists, Professor Nicholas N. N. Nsowah-Nuamah, has proposed that the title "Government Statistician" be changed to "Statistician General," arguing that the current designation wrongly suggests that Ghana's official statistics are produced on behalf of the government of the day rather than in the national interest.

The former Deputy and Acting Government Statistician said the title, which has existed since the colonial era, has contributed to public misconceptions about the independence of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the credibility of the data it produces.

According to him, the perception has, over the years, weakened public trust in official statistics relating to inflation, unemployment, population, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other key economic indicators.

Speaking in an interview, Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah stressed that the Ghana Statistical Service is an institution established to serve the Republic of Ghana and must be seen as independent of political administrations.

"The institution serves the Republic of Ghana, not the government of the day. The title should reflect that independence," he stated.

He observed that recurring public criticism of official economic data, particularly inflation figures, is partly linked to the title held by the head of the Statistical Service.

According to him, many Ghanaians mistakenly assume that statistics released by the GSS are influenced by the government simply because the head of the institution is officially referred to as the Government Statistician.

Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah maintained that official statistics are compiled using internationally accepted scientific methods and professional standards, adding that governments themselves rely on credible and objective data to formulate policies and make informed decisions.

Reflecting on his time at the Statistical Service, he recalled that improvements in inflation figures often attracted scepticism from sections of the public.

"Some friends would tell me that figures had been cooked because they believed such a reduction was impossible. Others also believed there must have been some invisible hand behind the numbers," he said.

He rejected suggestions that official statistics were manipulated to favour any government, insisting that the production and publication of data remained independent throughout his tenure.

Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah said no political officeholder interfered with the work of the Statistical Service while he served as Government Statistician, adding that he believes the institution has continued to uphold that independence.

He explained that successive governments depend on accurate statistical information to design policies, monitor development and evaluate national programmes.

The former Government Statistician described the Ghana Statistical Service as the country's principal producer of official statistics, playing a central role in supporting national planning and decision-making.

He noted that the Service conducts major national surveys and censuses, including the Population and Housing Census, the Ghana Living Standards Survey, the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and Labour Force Surveys. It also compiles the Consumer Price Index (CPI), inflation figures and national accounts, including GDP.

According to him, data generated by the GSS guide government policy formulation, budget preparation, development planning and private sector investment, while also serving Parliament, the Bank of Ghana, development partners, researchers and international organisations.

Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah added that the Statistical Service has consistently engaged journalists over the years to explain the methodologies used in compiling inflation and other official indicators in an effort to improve public understanding and confidence.

He also addressed widespread misconceptions about inflation, explaining that many people incorrectly interpret falling inflation as a reduction in prices.

"When we say inflation has come down, it does not mean prices have come down. It simply means the speed at which prices are increasing has slowed," he explained.