- The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) is the central agency in Ghana mandated to collect, compile/produce and disseminate official statistics in the country. It is was organized hierarchically at the national, regional and district levels, although it has been unable to establish offices in all MMDAs.
- With the coming into effect of the Local Government Act of 1993 (Act 462) that was promulgated to accelerate development at the district level, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has struggled to establish offices in all the districts.
In recognition of the importance of statistical data in national development (including local level development), the government through the GSS pursued a reform programme to strengthen the National Statistical System (NSS) through integrating or mainstreaming statistics into the work of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs
- After the 2010 PHC the need was felt for the creation of the District Statistics Department (DSD) which operationally sits in the MMDAs.
- This led to series of consultations and engagements with all major stakeholders in 2012-2013.
- The strategy envisages a system in which statistical units of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Departments of MMDAs contribute to the production of statistics at all stages of the process with reference to the generation of data from regular administrative processes.
- These led to the passing of the Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) with provision for the establishment of District Statistics Department in each Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly
- The new arrangement and strategy seek to:
- Revamp the National Statistical System (NSS) with membership from all data generating entities at the national, regional and district levels.
- harmonize and coordinate the production of official statistics, with a view to ensuring that technical support for statistics is extended to data producing units of government institutions
LEGAL PROVISIONS
- Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) with provision for the establishment of District Statistics Department in each Metropolitan, Municipal District Assemblies
- Coordination of data production to feed into local level decision making
A number of legislations underpin the National Statistical System. Key among them include the:
- Statistical Service Law, 1985 (PNDCL 135)
- Civil Service Law 1993 (PNDCL 327)
- Local Government Act of 1993 (Act 462)
- Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) with provision for the establishment of District Statistics
- Act 462)
- Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) with provision for the establishment of District Statistics Department in each Metropolitan, Municipal District Assemblies
- OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS
Overall, the integration and mainstreaming of statistics into the work of the Assemblies would enable users of data in the districts to have access to relevant and timely statistics and indicators for effective planning, implementing and monitoring development programmes at the district level
- reinforce the coordination of statistics generation, compilation, analysis, storage, archiving and dissemination across MMDAs
- strengthen the capacity of statistical staff at the district levels
- bring about statistical literacy among stakeholders
- maximize revenue generation and utilization.
- As part of the process of integrating statistics at the district level, a District Statistical Department is to be established as one of the Departments of the District Assembly to perform three distinct operational functions identified for the effective operations of the District Assembly.
- These are:
- Data collection i.e., primary and secondary
- Data compilation, analysis, storage and archiving
- Data dissemination.