Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, has clarified that the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) does not formulate policy or advise the government on decisions.

He said, rather, the (GSS) generates the data required for policy analysis, macroeconomic management, and national development planning.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday, Dr Iddrisu said the GSS mandate is often misunderstood, stressing that its role is strictly to produce credible statistics that decision-makers across the economy can rely on.

“The Ghana Statistical Service is not about policy formulation, and it’s not about advising on policy,” he said. “It’s about generating data that is needed for effective decision making to influence development outcomes.”

Dr Iddrisu explained that national development involves two related but distinct components: the creation of reliable data and the use of that data for policy analysis and macroeconomic management.

“So in each of the two sides, there is development, there is national development there,” he said.

He noted that while some institutions use statistics to inform macroeconomic management, the work of the GSS begins earlier in the process.

“The other side, what you are doing is that you are actually using data to actually do policy analysis and advise on macroeconomic management that will support national development,” he said.

He added that at the GSS, the role is different because the Service moves away from interpreting data to producing it.

“At the Ghana Statistical Service, you actually move from the use of data to being the creator of the data yourself,” he said.

Dr Iddrisu said this makes the Service a foundational part of the country’s development architecture, because every serious policy discussion depends on credible numbers.

“So in other words, our responsibility is actually to generate the data that the policy makers need,” he stated.

However, he stressed that the Service serves not only government or political leadership, noting that GSS data are intended for the entire economy.

“But it’s not even restricted to just the policymakers,” he said. “You generate the data that all actors of the economy need so that they use that data to take informed decisions that will support national development.”

He said the importance of the Service’s work is ensuring that decisions are guided by evidence, whether made in government, business, or by other stakeholders.

“So it goes way beyond policymakers,” Dr Iddrisu added.