The Head of the Statistical Service Dr. Grace Bediako says the Service remains the most credible source of social and economic data on Ghana. Her statement comes in the wake of what has been referred to as the ‘voodoo’ statistics churned out by different research institutions in the country. Some have questioned the data provided by the institutions in the country and have relied on the World Bank for such information or data. But the Head of the Service, Grace Bediako told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah on Monday that the different interests by the institutions account for the different data released. She noted further that the differences in calculations and definition of terms also account for the different economic data insisting that the Statistical Service has national interest and therefore gathers objective data. Meanwhile, she said the Service has no data to support government’s 1.6 million jobs it said to have created in the last year. According to Dr Grace Bediako unless they collect data in that regard they are in no position to confirm or deny the government’s claim. A deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had stated that the government is on course to reducing the rate of unemployment in the country, explaining that it has created 1.6 million new jobs in 2009. But the data has been contested particularly by the opposition New Patriotic Party, who accuse the government of creating non-existent jobs. Grace Bediako said the service “has not been responsive to government” because it was yet to collect data on the matter. The Service has also begun a sensitization tour on the imminent National Census. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana