Population Census is a national exercise - Mahama

Mr. John Mahama, Minister of Communications has commended Regional Population Officers for educating people in the regional and district capitals on the upcoming 2000 Population and Housing Census (PHC).

Mr. Mahama, Chairman of the National PHC Publicity and Education Committee, noted that the exercise would benefit the entire nation and asked those who be engaged in the exercise to see it as an opportunity to serve rather than to make money.

The Minister was speaking after a meeting in Accra to review regional and district activities so far carried out to sensitise the people on the Census.

The Census is scheduled to take off on the night of March 26, 2000, which is the Census night and ends on April 10, 2000.

Nine censuses have been conducted in the country since 1891, with three in post-independent Ghana - 1960, 1970 and 1984.

Mr. Mahama indicated that steps are being taken to ensure that everyone outlaying areas in the Eastern, Volta, Ashanti, and Northern as well as Upper East and Upper West Regions is counted.

He said in view of the huge constraint on government finances, new vehicles could not be acquired for the exercise and appealed to government departments, agencies and private organisations to lend their support to make the programme a success.

Dr K. A. Twum-Baah, Acting Government Statistician asked the regional officers to submit without delay all the necessary information on prospective enumerators to help the Secretariat fashion out a convenient document for the Census.

The PHC will, among other things, provide the facts that are essential for governmental policy- making, planning and administration.

Information on the size, distribution and characteristics of a country's population is essential in describing and assessing its economic, social and demographic circumstances.

It will also help develop sound policies and programmes aimed at fostering the welfare of the country and its population.

Census results are also used in policy development and evaluation for programmes such as education and literacy, employment and manpower, family planning, housing, maternal and child health, rural development, transport and highway planning as well as urbanisation.