The King of Dagbon, Ndan Ya Naa Abukari II who doubles as President of the Northern Region House of Chiefs has advised the Chiefs and people of Dagbon to participate in the impending national population and housing census.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) will begin the exercise on June 27, 2021 nationwide.
The Ya Naa said the exercise is important to determine the population of the country and crucial for national development planning, adding that policy makers would require accurate data and statistics to provide key infrastructure such as water, electricity, roads and school blocks among others.
Addressing the Second General Meeting of the house attended by the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ebenezer Kojo Kum and the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu last Tuesday (15 June, 2021) the Dagbon Overlord emphasized the need for every citizen to be counted during the exercise.
He urged the Chiefs (Nanima) to encourage people within their respective jurisdictions to get counted for the exercise commence in the coming days.
“We need every citizen counted in this exercise and I call on Nanima and the entire people of northern region to support and cooperate with the Ghana Statistical Service and its staff to gather quality data during this exercise”
The House of Chiefs President reiterated quality population and housing census data is fundamental to socioeconomic planning, therefore, the need for the exercise to succeed.
The Ghana Statistical Service will organize Ghana’s first digital census with 75, 000 Data Field Officers recruited to conduct the exercise. Ahead of the census night on June 27, the listing of structures is already underway in the country.
The Census Officials are expected to number all structures and take basic information from its residents.