New Government Statistician Vows Data-Driven Approach to Transform Ghana’s Economy

Ghana’s new Government Statistician has pledged to lead a data revolution aimed at driving informed policies and accelerating economic transformation as sighted Accra Street Journal

The new Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, says he is going to spearhead a sweeping modernization agenda at the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) aimed at revolutionizing how the country collects, manages, and uses data.

Dr. Iddrisu’s vision is not just about generating more numbers. It’s about embedding data at the very heart of national decision-making, economic planning, and inclusive development.

The new statistician agrees that with the current direction of the world, statistics is no longer a luxury or an afterthought but it is an imperative for national survival and prosperity.

“For Ghana, the role of high-quality, credible, timely and disaggregated data in informing evidence-based policy, in supporting macroeconomic development, in strengthening sectoral resilience, in enabling access to global finance, and also in institutional capacity building, has become more relevant today than ever before,” Dr. Iddrisu recounted.

To this end, the GSS under the new leadership is undergoing a radical transformation, shifting away from traditional, paper-based surveys toward real-time, digitally driven data collection methods. Leveraging mobile apps, GPS-enabled tools, and computer-assisted platforms, the Service is now embracing smart, digital surveys that drastically reduce time lags, minimize human error, and improve data accuracy.

He stated that, “we are looking at initiatives that is looking at digital data collection. So here we are moving away from paper-based surveys to computer-assisted data collection tools using applet, mobile apps, GPS tracking. And this would definitely reduce the delays we usually would face when we are collecting data and will improve accuracy as well.”

Dr. Iddrisu says he is further committed to working with various ministries, departments, and agencies to integrate administrative data, ranging from tax records and school enrolments to health data and social interventions, into a dynamic statistical ecosystem.

At the core of Dr. Iddrisu’s vision is democratizing access to data. The GSS is expanding its online presence through an advanced statistics data portal that makes it easier for journalists, researchers, civil society actors, and the general public to access vital statistics in user-friendly formats.

This data revolution is intended to align with Ghana’s broader development objectives, improving access to global finance, strengthening sectoral resilience, and fostering sustainable livelihoods.

With this new breathe of fresh air at the GSS at time the country is navigating economic headwinds and global uncertainties, the work of the Statistical Service under Dr. Iddrisu’s leadership could become one of the most important drivers of national progress.

Last Updated on April 23, 2025 by samboad