2021 PHC: Embrace Teamwork, Strive for Excellence – Gov’t Statistician urges DDQMT

“The 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) is aiming for complete coverage and quality data and the role of the District Data Quality Management Team (DDQMT) is crucial to achieving that objective and making our first digital PHC a success. We have a shared responsibility to make that possible.” These were the words of Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician and Chief Census Officer, at the closing ceremony of a ten days Residential Training Workshop organized for the DDQMT at the University of Cape Coast.

He said the objective of achieving a complete coverage and quality data; decentralizing the census activities has been a key feature of the 2021 PHC hence the introduction of the District Data Quality Management Team (DDQMT) to ensure that data collected is synced daily so that there can be real-time data monitoring for correction of errors in the field.

“The institutionalization of the DDQMT is to ensure that the digital data collection facilitates quality data collection and the timely release of results, as such, it is critical for the DDQMT to work assiduously to ensure that the data collected is of high quality,” he stated.

Prof. Anim emphasized that drawing from the 2021 PHC slogan; You Count, Get counted, the DDQMT has been entrusted with the responsibility of manage the census exercise in each district to ensure complete coverage, taking into account local contexts as no two districts in this country are alike. He appealed to the DDQMT to work together to implement field strategies to suit their context.

“As we aim to leave no one behind, there is the need for teamwork, therefore, lack of cohesion in the DDQMT threatens the success of the census, given the interdependence of their roles” Prof. Anim said.

“We highlight the importance of communication in teamwork, your ability to take in information and the ability to provide information is pivotal for the success of the census as you play a central role in the aspect of census communication and you must ensure that you are reporting daily to management as required, disseminating information to field officers as directed thus the productivity is greatly improved through effective communication” he said.

The Chief Census Officer, congratulated all selected and wish them all the best as they embark on the critical role of ensuring complete coverage, quality data. He noted that elected participants will officially be re-engaged by the end of the month (May 2021) to go to their respective districts to begin the “Before Training Role” of the DDQMT as stated in their roles and responsibilities.