Statistical Service begins trial census in Fanteakwa South District
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has commenced the Trial Census III in the Fanteakwa South District in the Eastern Region.
The trial census is part of preparatory activities for the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) which will take place in April and May of 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 training for enumerators from 18th December 2020 in Osino, the District Capital, will run until 30th December 2020 with a three-day break for Christmas.
Listing of structures, which involves numbering all structures in the district will commence on 4th January 2021 and will last for two weeks.
A Trial Census Night would be observed on midnight of Sunday, 17th 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, several events will be organised in the communities throughout the Fanteakwa South District.
Enumeration or data collection for the trial census will take place from 18th January to 3rd February 2021.
A Trial Post Enumeration Survey will follow from 15th February to 7th 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,” the GSS said in a statement.
The GSS had planned to conduct the census this year, but the COVID-19 scourge ruined the plans. After rescheduling the initiative which counts the country’s population and housing infrastructure, it was pushed to 2021.
The last time Ghana conducted a census was in 2020. Currently, the country’s population is pegged at 30 million.