This programme took place on the premises of the Ledzokuku municipal Assembly. It was graced by lots of dignitaries from the municipality.

The municipal chief executive of Ledzokuku municipal assembly, Hon. Evelyn Naa Adjeley Twum-Gyamrah officially launched the population and housing census.

The activities will start on the 13th of June to the 20th of June which will be listing of houses. The actual census will start on the 28th of June till 11th July. But before that there will be a census night. Which is on the 27th of June. This night is to create awareness for the census. As result activities will be carried out on TV, Radio and Social media to make the event memorable.

According to her, the census night is set for 27th June 2021, persons on transit and on short stay in institutions such as hotels, hospitals will all be counted on the census night’’.

She emphasized that one must not change their location in order for them to be counted. She said, ‘‘people should be mindful of where they spend the census night, since they will be counted there’’.

‘‘This census will provide adequate data which will help the government to measure, monitor and estimate the extent to which they have made progress on the national development agenda’’. She stressed.

‘‘The census shall cover all members of the society; including the vulnerable and the disadvantaged’’, she stated.

She urged both Ghanaian and foreigners who will be in the locality on the census night to be ready to welcome census officials into their place of residence and provide them with correct information.

However, ‘‘with the presence of COVID-19, measures have been put in place to ensure that the census goes on smoothly with minimum or no disruption’’. She stated. She also encouraged everyone to provide honest information to the enumerators since every information provided will be confidential. She urged religious bodies and civil societies to use their various platforms to support the census since it’s a very important exercise and comes off once in every decade. She therefore declared the thirty-day countdown to the 2021 Ghana population and housing census officially launched.

Municipal Coordinating Director

Directors and Heads of Departments

Distinguished Stakeholders

Representatives of Non−Governmental Organizations

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations

Nii mei ke Naa mei

Honourable Assembly Members

Members of the Municipal Census Implementation Committee

Friends of the Media

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to join you today as we begin the final preparations for Ghana’s 2021 Population and Housing Census. But for the COVID-19 pandemic which afflicted the global community last year, we would have conducted the Census in March 2020. This would have been exactly 10 years since the previous one in 2010 as recommended by the United Nations. As a country, we are now all set to continue the national tradition of conducting successful censuses decennially with minimal interruptions. In view of this, Census officials have been competitively recruited and are undergoing comprehensive and skilful training to prepare them for the exercise.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Field data collection will commence with the listing of all structures from 13th June 2021. The Census Night is set for 27th June 2021; persons on transit and in short stay institutions such as hotels, guest houses and hospital in-patients will all be counted on the Census Night. However, the enumeration of all persons in residential household facilities as well as institutions and all other persons, will be enumerated from 28th June to 11th July 2021.

It is therefore very important for everyone to remember the Census Night because you will be counted according to where you spend the Census Night in Ghana.

Nii mei ke Naa mei,

It must be emphasised that you do not have to change your location or travel to your village or town to be enumerated. The Census process requires the Census officials to visit your place of residence and all structures to count and enumerate all persons who spend the Census Night in those structures regardless of their residence status.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The government continues to be committed to evidence-based decision making and planning in all facets of decision making in our developmental agenda. The Census will provide us with adequate data to help us measure, monitor and estimate the extent to which we have made progress on our national development agenda. Indeed, the data collected will guide us to measure the socio-economic status of our people

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the spirit of leaving no one behind, the census shall cover all members of our society including the vulnerable and the disadvantaged members of our society, such as persons living with disabilities (PLWDs), orphans and vulnerable children, the elderly and even street families.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen;

I therefore take this opportunity to urge all persons, both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians who may be resident or non-resident, but may be in the Municipality on the Census Night to be ready to welcome Census officials into their communities and places of residence and provide the necessary information for their enumeration. Great efforts have been made to ensure that the Census enumerators are recruited from and within the communities they are assigned to work.

The Municipal Assembly has also taken all necessary steps to ensure that the Census goes on smoothly and in a safe and secured environment with minimum or no disruption.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Please bear with the Census officials as they go about their business and provide them with complete and accurate information. Remember, the information you provide to the Census official is strictly confidential; it will be handled only by persons who have taken the “Oath of Secrecy” under the Statistical Service Act 2019 (Act 1003).

Ladies and gentlemen,

At this time, I want to urge you all to support the Census process without any reservations. I also urge all our political and religious leaders, the business community and private sector, as well as the civil society to use their various platforms to support the Census process for the sake of our country’s progress.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion, I wish to reiterate the importance of the Census for the development and growth of our society and for us to achieve our vision of a brighter future for all our people and society, The Municipal Assembly needs the data that the census will provide. Remember the Census is a very important national exercise and is done only once every decade, hence the need for us to support it fully to be successful.

With these few remarks, I declare the 30-day countdown to the 2021 Ghana Population and Housing Census officially launched.

Distinguished Guests, Nii mei ke Naa mei, Ladies and Gentlemen,

During this period until 13th June 2021 when listing starts, Census officials will continue to prepare the public to be ready to be counted appropriately through several publicity, education and advocacy activities using all available media.

Thank you for your attention and may God bless us all.

YOU COUNT, GET COUNTED.

Honourable Municipal Chief Executive

Directors and Heads of Departments

Development Partners

Representatives of Non−Governmental Organizations

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations

Members of the Media

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great honour to be here today to welcome you to the launch of 30 days to the 2021 Population and Housing Census Night. Ghana has been fairly consistent in conducting census every 10 years since 1960 to count and understand its population size, structure and dynamics. As you are aware, population and housing censuses provide data on sex, age, births and deaths, migration, what we do for a living, where we live, the quality of our housing, and access to public services, health and education. The creation of districts, constituencies and regions by successive governments is based mainly on census data.

It is therefore worth noting that the 2021 Census will provide updated information on the population to help track progress made with regards to international, national, regional, and global development goals.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, in view of this, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) fully support the Census because it will address the various data gaps needed for effective planning of sectoral programmes at the district level. It is therefore reassuring that the Census will collect information on every structure, household and individual, thereby providing reliable and disaggregated data to lowest levels of administration and geography, including rural and urban differentiation. Such data are critically needed by the MMDAs for the purpose of tracking progress in particular efforts aimed at eradicating poverty and all forms of inequalities in the districts and localities.

It is gratifying that the Census data will also help to transform Ghana’s economy and spur economic development at the national, regional and district levels. Information on population growth dynamics is important and highly needed by the MMDAs in planning for education needs, where to locate health facilities, how to allocate our social expenditures and identify those who really need help in our society.

The 2021 Census data on housing conditions, household amenities and assets will be very useful to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to assess the adequacy and quality of housing and utilities as well as to determine housing tenure arrangements. Comprehensive information will also be captured on sanitation and waste management in our communities towards a cleaner environment for all.

In conclusion, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) has supported the allocation of storage facilities in all the 272 statistical districts in the country. The MMDAs will continue to support the GSS to ensure the conduct of a successful census through the District Census Implementation Committee. We wish to assure the GSS and all Ghanaians of the full support of the MMDAs to ensure the success of the 2021 Population and Housing Census.

You Count, Get Counted.

Thank you for your attention.

These Desks come as a top up of what was given to the Directorate in February this year.

Together we can break the 8.

In adherence to the Covid 19 Protocols she also donated boxes of Santizers and Face mask in addition.