The Vice President has urged the general population to partake in and cooperate with Census Enumerators and their Field Officers as the Ghana Statistical Service undertake the two-week-long 2021 Population and Housing Census, which began on Sunday.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has also urged respondents to provide accurate information to the Enumerators to enable the compilation of accurate data to inform policy formulation and planning for the country’s development.

Dr Bawumia made the call when officials of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) visited him at home to conduct a census of him and his household as part of the national exercise on Monday.

The GSS is mandated by law to conduct a headcount of all persons resident in Ghana every ten years and provide Government and researchers with insight into the trends and dynamics of the population.

“The benefits to be derived from the Census data is enormous, and the outcomes of the Census exercise will guide our development plans, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, particularly with African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e. Agenda 2030 and National development agenda.

“Therefore, I call on everybody not only to be part of the exercise but also, provide more credible and quality data for our dear country and make use of the Census call centre to ensure that all persons are counted.

Reminding the country that the Census is “both a legal obligation and a civic responsibility”, the Vice President urged persons who have either refused to provide responses or requested for payment from Census Enumerators to avail themselves and refrain from demanding money or other favours before providing the required information.

“The census is an inclusive, non-discriminatory, non-partisan, national activity, and I urge all persons in Ghana, including non-nationals, to fully participate in this important activity by presenting themselves and their families to be counted appropriately.

“The Census aims at achieving complete coverage and quality data. The objective of complete coverage, aligns perfectly with the “Leave No One Behind” agenda of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To this end, the cooperation of all the populace is paramount.”

Concluding, Vice President Bawumia emphasised, “I have just been counted. You should also get counted for our national good. You count, get counted!”