The National Development Planning Commission, (NDPC), in collaboration with the Ghana Statistical Service with support from GIZ, UNICEF Ghana, and the World Bank Group, on 16th to 17^th August, 2023, organised a High-level stakeholder session on Statistical Data Collection and Management for effective coordination and joint implementation for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). It is a session to ensure, that, MDA projects and programmes are properly coordinated and run smoothly to jointly produce, share and use quality statistical data to improve the country in all areas.
The High-Level stakeholder session on statistical data collection and management for effective coordination and joint implementation comes in the wake of recommendations stemming from the inaugural coordination meeting held in January 2023. It had a focus on strengthening collaboration among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The meeting identified some fundamental issues confronting the smooth coordination and implementation of development programmes such as statistical data collection and management for development coordination, Improving capacity of MDAs in administrative data collection and management, timely data and joint implementation of programmes among others.
The Director General of NDPC Dr. Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa said the session is meant to strengthen collaboration in data sharing and joint implementation between MDAs.
He accentuated the need for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to work together, given the project's multi-sectoral nature and far-reaching impact.
Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Annim said the fundamental role of the GSS in recent years in the production and sharing of data for development is of importance.
Prof. Annim called for comprehensive collaboration by stakeholders in addressing complex data challenges.
UNICEF’s Deputy Country Director for Ghana, Mr. Fiachra McAsey said UNICEF will continue to support the government to conduct surveys like the GLSS, MICS and DHS, as well as in the analysis of the District League Table, which provides data and evidence for enhanced decision-making in Ghana.
The National Statistical Assessment 2018 and the User Satisfaction Survey Statistics 2022 could help MDAs, Regional Coordinating Councils, and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies better coordinate and strengthen data production.
From the survey, only about thirty-four percent (34.6%) of institutions surveyed were of the view that policymakers use official statistics for evidence-based decision-making.