Government statisticians, Professor Samuel Kobina Anim, has intimated that the Population Census enumerators who have raised concerns with regards to their welfare will be engaged.
The government statistician said the concerns raised by some enumerators on insurance cover and the call for increment in their transportation allowance, will be dealt with after they have engaged with them.
He however stated that the petition which was making rounds on social media was just signed by 18 people and the Service has been unable to reach them since the contact details provided on the letter was not reachable.
Professor Anim said the Service will also do its best in tracing the group that raised these concerns.
“We will engage them because prior to the data collection exercise, we gave them a contract,;we read through it and we told them the contract and they all agreed as at the time … prior to we engaging them. So, over the period if there have been such concerns, we are happy to discuss them.”
Professor Anim
Enumerators face verbal altercations
Professor Anim giving an update on the first day of the exercise noted that although it has been good,;they have had instances where individuals think the enumerators have intruded their homes which has resulted in some verbal altercations.
“They had some verbal instances but aside that they had minimal physical assaults. In one of the instances, the respondent felt that the enumerator should have sort permission before chalking the structure. The instructions that we give to our enumerators is that once you approach a structure,;you seek their permission before you do the chalking. In the event where there is no one in the structure they can go ahead and chalk.”
Professor Anim
He added that his outfit is not expecting any major challenge with the ongoing exercise.
He further revealed that persons who refuse to provide some information will be sanctioned by the law.
“So, the law has been clear on the fact that this being a national development oriented activity for which reason all of us will have to submit ourselves to the data collection process.”
Professor Anim
Submit to enumeration process
Also speaking on citizens’ submission to the exercise, former President, John Mahama, has called on Ghanaians to submit to the enumeration process of the 2021 population census.
Mr Mahama explained that the data generated from the census would serve as vital statistics to guide national development.
“It is necessary to know how many people live in your country accurately so you can make better provisions in terms of social amenities, in terms of how the economy is managed and in terms of how development is spread so that everybody gets a fair share of the national cake.”
John Mahama
Mr. Mahama also noted that the census data will also help government to consider the creation of new districts and restructure the local government system. He then urged Ghanaians to open their doors and welcome the enumerators when they come to conduct the census.
