2021 Population Census: GSS to start Training District Data Quality Management Team

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) will commence training of some 1,605 prospective District Data Quality Management Team (DDQMT) members for the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC).

The ten-day residential workshop will take place at the University of Cape Coast from May 4 – 15, 2021. The trainees were invited for the workshop after making it through a rigorous selection process comprising entrance assessments, online self-learning and live virtual training.

This year’s census will be the first digital Population and Housing Census (PHC) to be conducted in Ghana. Tablets will be used for data capture and the data collected will be sent daily to the server making it possible to employ real time data monitoring to achieve complete coverage and quality data.

For this reason, a four-member DDQMT is being constituted in each statistical district to ensure that all data errors are identified and corrected during data collection. The role of the DDQMT is critical to ensuring that the 2021 PHC generates accurate, relevant, and timely data for decision-making and development.

The team comprises of the District Census Officer (DCO), District Field Supervisor (DFS), District Data Quality Monitor (DDQM), and District IT Officer (DIT). The team responsible for ensuring that technical issues and challenges arising during field work are resolved promptly and that there is complete coverage and accurate data collected within the district, monitoring the work of Field Officers for quality and timely completion, and ensuring that all logistics are returned at the end of field work.

The DDQMT will also support the District Census Implementation Committees to implement preparatory activities in the district before data collection such as publicity, education, and advocacy, and training of Field Officers.

The training of District Data Quality Management Team marks the implementation of another key activity in preparation for data collection for the 2021 Population and Housing Census. Listing of structures commences on June 13. The Census Night date is Sunday June 27, 2021. The enumeration will take place from June 28 to July 11, 2021.

The conduct of the Census is in accordance with Clause 3 of the Statistical Service Act, 2019 (Act 1003).

By Shiela Satori Mensah