The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has launched the start of field data collection for the second phase of the Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES II), following the successful completion of a 21-day nationwide training programme for field officers.

Training sessions were held concurrently across all 16 regions, preparing over 2000 officers in ethical standards, digital tools, and data quality protocols. The official closing ceremony and national launch of the data collection exercise took place at Zenith College, the designated training centre for Accra training, bringing together National and regional coordinators, technical experts, and institutional stakeholders.

Delivering the keynote address at the launch, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, the Government Statistician, underscored the strategic role of IBES II in shaping evidence-based decisionmaking.

He noted, “This survey will provide the most current and reliable picture of Ghana’s business landscape. Informed economic planning begins with credible data, and IBES II will deliver detailed evidence needed to support decisions in both the public and private sectors. From investment promotion and job creation to productivity enhancement and policy formulation, the data generated will inform a wide spectrum of national priorities.” I

BES II builds on the 2024 Economic Census and is structured as a sample-based enterprise survey. It covers 101 economic activity domains, ranging from agriculture, manufacturing, and construction to wholesale and retail trade, information and communication, electricity and water supply, sanitation, mining and quarrying, and services.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Anthony Krakah, National Project Coordinator for IBES II, highlighted the purpose and relevance of the survey.

He stated, “The objective of the IBES II is about understanding how businesses operate, what challenges they face, how they invest, employ, and innovate. Our goal is to generate reliable data capable of guiding interventions at the national, regional, and sectoral levels, and ensure that policy is responding to the real dynamics on the ground.”

Also addressing the field officers, Dr. Owusu Kagya, Director of Business, Trade and Industry at GSS, reminded personnel of the importance of professional conduct: “You have taken an oath of secrecy not just as a formality, but as a commitment to protect the integrity of the data and the trust placed in you by respondents. I urge all of you to carry out your duties with the highest level of professionalism and ethics, knowing that the quality of our national statistics depends on how you conduct yourselves in the field.”

Fieldwork is set to commence officially on 10th July 2025, targeting over 40,000 businesses nationwide. The survey is designed to generate timely and comprehensive data to strengthen economic planning and provide insights into Ghana’s evolving business environment.

Data will be collected using multiple tools, including Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI), secure web-based forms, and paper questionnaires offering flexibility to respondents. The sample is drawn from a national business register of over 1.8 million establishments.

The ceremony also included the oathtaking ceremony of field officers in line with the Statistical Service Act, 2019 (Act 1003), to ensure that all information collected is treated confidentially, anonymised and used strictly for statistical purposes.

The exercise is being implemented under the oversight of a Steering Committee, a Technical Advisory Committee, and a Project Implementation Team, with ongoing stakeholder engagement and awareness-raising activities.

Findings from IBES II will be released in thematic reports and anonymised datasets to support evidence-based business development, policymaking and national development.