Ghana Statistical Service not sure when census results will be ready

Dr. Philomena Nyarko, Government Statistician

The Ghana Statistical Service has said that it is not sure when the results of the 2010 census will be ready.

The results of the census conducted close to two years have been continuously postponed resulting in the officials of the Statistical Service being subjected to heavy criticisms over their competence level.

The Statistical Service once again failed to meet its deadline of 30th April to publish the results. In a statement signed by the acting Government Statistician, Dr. Philomena Nyarko it said the “final results of the 2010 Population and Housing Census cannot be released on April 30th, 2012 as originally scheduled.

As the pressure mounts on the GSS to publish the results of the census, its Public Relations Officer and Head of Field Operations, David Kombat has revealed that his outfit will not be pressured to release half-baked results.

In an interview with Joy FM, the GSS PRO said that numerous unforeseen challenges are the primary reasons why the service has not been able to release the results.

David Kombat added that the comparison of the Statistical Service's work to what pertains in other countries is not fair as different methodologies are employed in the respective countries.

He added that the workers at the GSS are competent enough and that calls by some organizations to overhaul the workforce will only draw the whole work aback as they might have to start all over again.

Mr. Kombat added that they are doing everything possible to come out with the results but he declined to mention a specific time frame.

According to him, due to continuous postponement of the release of the census figures, the GSS will not bind itself with a deadline it might not be able to meet hence the indefinite period required to have the outstanding works on the final results cleared.