Census pilot project to cover six districts’

THE Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako, has disclosed that the 2009 population and housing census pilot project slated for October and November, 2009 will cover only six districts including some key settlements in Accra.
The selected districts include, Bia, Sene, Saboba, Awutu Senya, and Chiriponi. In Accra the exercise will cover, Osu Klotey, East Legon, and Commonwealth and Volta Halls of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Dr Bediako who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview said the change of date was because some of the selected districts were likely to experience some amount of rainfall during that time of the year.
The government statistician said the Statistical Service considered a number of factors including the eco-logical zone of the district, newly created districts, fast growing areas, institutions and high wall residential communities in the selection process.
She again added that, these districts and areas were selected having in mind some of the difficulties the area might pose to officers during the original census in 2010.
Dr Bediako said that the pilot project was estimated at $ 1.2 million and explained that the amount did not include logistics that would again be needed for the original census in 2010 such as vehicles, allowance for personnel and data processing among others.
The Census Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Kombat who was present at the interview said the pilot project would cover three weeks, explaining that the actual data collection would be done in the second week of the exercise while the first and second weeks would be for field work.
Mr Kombat said committees for all the districts had been formed and were expected to start work in the districts.
He said the committees would have the responsibility of putting in place the appropriate measures to make the exercise successful .
He explained that unlike the registration for voting during elections where each voter was expected to register in person, only responsible persons in each house would be made to speak on behalf of all the others.
He, therefore, called on all persons within the respective districts to provide their vital information before going out of their homes during the period.