Yesterday, I visited our Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) office in the Ashanti Region. This is my second stop, after the Eastern Region visit, as we work our way across all 16 regions.
Here’s the simple truth: the real work of national development starts on the ground. The Ashanti Region team, led by Mr. Richard Sackey, is out there every day collecting the numbers that shape Ghana’s future. They track prices in markets. They run surveys in communities. They gather the real stories behind the data. This is the foundation for every decision government makes.
I’m grateful for the warm welcome and, more importantly, for the seriousness and pride they bring to their work. I join the GSS Governing Board in saying thank you. What you do matters more than many people realize.
But this visit was not just about appreciation. It was about listening. Staff spoke openly about the challenges they face and offered practical ideas to improve how we work. That kind of honesty is exactly what we need. We cannot fix what we do not hear.
Let’s be clear. National plans and development outcomes are only as strong as the local data behind them. If the data from our communities is weak, decisions will be weak. But when local data is strong, development becomes real, targeted, and lasting.
And this is important: our job is not just to produce reports. Our job is to produce data that leads to better schools, better hospitals, better roads, and better lives. If the data does not improve lives, then we must ask hard questions about what we are doing.
To all our regional statisticians: you are not just data collectors. You are decision shapers. What you produce influences what gets funded, what gets built, and what gets fixed in this country.
As we transform GSS into a world-class institution, we will *continue to* tackle the real issues head-on *including* staff welfare, tools, systems, and support - not in theory, but step by step, with urgency.
Our regional offices will not be left behind. They will be strengthened. They will be supported. They will be central to everything we do.
This is a team effort. And with strong data, Ghana can move forward with confidence.
Next stops coming soon.
#GSS #DataQuality #TransformationAgenda #StatisticsForDevelopment #AshantiRegion #LocalDevelopment