Government Statistician;
Deputy Government Statistician;
Chairperson, Governing Board of Ghana Statistical Service;
Management and Staff of Ghana Statistical Service;
Honourable Members of Parliament present at this great occasion;
Representatives of the Office for National Statistics, UK, our key Strategic Cooperation Partner;
Representatives from other Research Institutions including universities;
Development Partners;
Representatives from Collaborating Institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies;
Representatives from the Ghana Statistics Association;
University students;
Our Partners from the Media Fraternity;
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen;
All Protocol observed:
I am highly delighted to join you in celebrating the 2023 African Statistics Day, and it is a special honour for me to serve as the Co-Chair alongside Prof. Peter Quartey, who is the Director at the Institute of Statistical, Social & Economic Research (ISSER). I believe that my Co-Chair shares in this sentiment of honour and excitement.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we want to equally recognize and appreciate the dedicated efforts of the Governing Board, Management and Staff of GSS for their ongoing commitment to achieving the organizational goals and objectives of the Service. This consistent dedication underscores the significance of commemorating the African Statistics Day each year as a means of celebrating the crucial role of official statistics in national development.
Allow me to seize this moment to acknowledge our esteemed partners and representatives from diverse stakeholders. I extend heartfelt gratitude for your invaluable support to the Ghana Statistical Service and your dedication to ensuring the production of timely, accurate, and reliable statistics for guiding policy.
Our presence today underscores a fundamental truth: the foundation for sound policies and decisions lies in quality, timely and robust data.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, African Statistics Day is an event, which is commemorated annually on 18th November to deepen public awareness of the significant role statistics play in all aspects of our social and economic life in Africa in particular, and in the entire world in general. Furthermore, commemoration of the day affords us the needed opportunity to increase advocacy for support for major statistical operations, including censuses and surveys, in order to provide us with the needed official statistics to inform decision-making at all levels, and monitor socio-economic development policies and programmes.
This year’s celebration is unique because it marks 75 years since the establishment of the Ghana Statistical Service, initially established as the Office of the Government Statistician in 1948.
The 2023 ASD theme is “Modernizing data ecosystems to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): The role of official statistics and big data in the economic transformation and sustainable development of Africa”. This theme aligns with the African Union’s 2023 theme on the Acceleration of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which calls for modernizing data ecosystems in the continent for the production and utilisation of high-quality official statistics.
It is an incontestable fact, ladies and gentlemen, that one crucial way of actualizing the African Union’s theme is to ensure the availability and utilisation of regular, timely, accurate and reliable statistics such as are obtained from censuses, surveys and administrative data. Such statistics form the bases for effective policy planning implementation, and decision-making, which in turn provide the needed impetus for promoting peace, security and socioeconomic development.
Trade statistics is important as it provides us with invaluable insights into the trends, challenges, and opportunities that shape the landscape of international commerce. As we navigate through the complexities of our interconnected world, the importance of accurate and timely trade data cannot be overstated.
In the spirit of commemoration and of the day, we are going to witness the launch of the Ghana 2023 Mid-Year Trade Report. The report seeks to provide a timely examination of the evolving dynamics in Ghana’s international trade in the first half of 2023. The report provides insight to understand the dynamics of global trade, identify emerging patterns, and explore innovative solutions to the challenges that lie ahead.
Our world is undergoing rapid transformations, from technological advancements to geopolitical shifts, and these changes have profound implications for trade. In such a dynamic environment, the role of trade statistics becomes even more critical. It is not just about measuring the past but about anticipating the future.
The Service has also initiated the process to measure informal cross border trade a dimension of commerce that often operates beneath the radar but holds immense significance for the economies of African countries. The measurement of informal cross-border trade has become a practical necessity, especially for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), comprehensive trade data is needed for fostering economic development, improving trade policies, and ensuring the well-being of communities engaged in these activities.
Today, we have the opportunity to gain insights from the experts in our midst, and to forge connections that will drive positive change. The discussions we engage in and the ideas we exchange have the power to shape policies, influence decisions, and contribute to the overall well-being of our nations and the global community.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we join hands with all our compatriots across the African Continent in celebrating this year’s laudable theme, it is very important to reflect on some realities that must compel us to modernize our National Statistical Systems to ensure the availability and utilisation of regular, timely, accurate and reliable statistics.
Doing so now is more urgent than ever, given the central thrust of Agenda 2063 of building a peaceful, stable, secure, integrated and prosperous Africa, and the emphasis of the 2030 Agenda on leaving no one behind.
It is in the light of this that I am honoured to participate in this year’s African Statistics Day due and the innovative programmes that have been planned to commemorate this year’s celebration.
Amid all this, we must acknowledge that the achievements of GSS in recent years’ data revolution could not have been possible without the continued support of government and our development partners as well as the relentless commitment and hard work of GSS staff.
In the same vein, we must acknowledge the good working relationship and the continuous support of all stakeholders: data suppliers including households, institutions and establishments whose collaboration is vital to the development and success of any statistical system.
Finally, I thank you all for your active participation in this year’s celebration, and I look forward to witnessing the positive impact that will undoubtedly stem from the knowledge and inspiration gained during this event.
I wish us all a successful and inspiring 2023 African Statistics Day Climax interactions, as well as a wonderful and memorable celebration!
Thank you.
