The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has commenced phase III of the upcoming census on a pilot basis in the Fanteakwa South District in the Eastern Region.
The Trial Census is part of preparatory activities for the Population and Housing Census (PHC) which will take place in April and May next year.
Two Trial Censuses had already been carried out. The Trial Census I was in May and June 2019 and Trial Census II, was in November to December 2019.
The Trial Census III which starts with a training for Enumerators from 18 December 2020 in Osino, the district capital, will run until 30 December 2020 with a three-day break for Christmas.
Listing of structures, which involves numbering all structures in the district will commence on 4 January 2021 and will last for two weeks.
A Trial Census Night would be observed on midnight of Sunday, 17 January 2021. This night is a reference period for enumeration and all questions in the Trial Census will be related to it.
To help make the Trial Census Night memorable, exciting events will be organised in the communities throughout the Fanteakwa South District. Enumeration or data collection for the Trial Census will take place from 18 January to 3 February 2021.
A Trial Post Enumeration Survey will follow from 15 February to 7 March to provide an independent evaluation of the Trial Census III.
The conduct of this Trial Census III and Trial Post Enumeration Survey is in line with the United Nations’ Principles and Recommendations, which guides the implementation of Population and Housing Censuses worldwide.
About Census
A Population Census is the official enumeration of all persons in a country at a specified time. The enumeration also implies the collection, compilation, evaluation, analysis, publication and dissemination of demographic, social and economic statistics relating to the population.
A Housing Census is the official enumeration of all living quarters (occupied and vacant) in a country at a specified time.
This enumeration also implies the collection, compilation, evaluation, analysis, publication, and dissemination of statistical data pertaining to these living quarters and the occupants.
The Ghana 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) will consist of a population census and a housing census as one operation.
The two censuses, though separate, constitute one statistical operation and they are not completely independent of each other because of the essential elements of each census which are common to both and are also with well-coordinated activities.
In this way, the information on the population and living quarters can be more readily matched, and processing is facilitated, and extensive analysis can be carried out.
This also makes it possible to relate to the housing census data, the information on demographic and economic characteristics of each household member that is routinely collected in the population census.
Ghana has conducted five post-independent population censuses in 1960, 1970, 1984, 2000 and 2010 with the last two consisting of both a population census and a housing census making the 2021 PHC the third Population and Housing Census to be conducted in Ghana.
The 2021 PHC is designed to generate statistics that are essential for policy and planning purposes. It is therefore of the greatest importance to every person living in Ghana.
The census information will be used for only statistical purposes and is not to be used for identifying people for taxation or punitive purposes.
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