Ghana Statistical Service signs pact with 25 MDAs
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 25 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve coordination, sharing and management of administrative data across government institutions.
The agreements, signed in Accra on Thursday, are expected to strengthen the national statistical system and promote evidence-based decision-making in government.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, said reliable statistics were essential for effective governance and national development.
“The promise of today’s initiative is simple but powerful. When data improves, governance improves. When governance improves, development outcomes improve. And when development outcomes improve, the lives of our citizens improve. This is why the work of building a strong National Statistical System is not merely technical work. It is nation-building work,” he stated.
He said government institutions generated enormous volumes of data in areas such as education, trade, immigration and public safety, but these datasets often remain disconnected.
“The result is that government sometimes receives multiple versions of the same reality. When that happens, the ability of policy makers to make timely and appropriate decisions is affected,” he noted.
Mr Debrah again stated that the agreements would help transform administrative data into a powerful national asset by harmonising data standards and improving coordination among institutions.
He added that the initiative aligned with the government’s commitment to evidence-based policy making under President John Dramani Mahama.
“Statistics are instruments of governance. They shape how government allocates resources, influence how progress is measured and strengthen accountability between the state and its citizens,” he said.
Additionally, the Chief of Staff indicated that administrative data must be recorded accurately, updated regularly, managed professionally, saying that “Where appropriate, it must be shared responsibly to support national statistical production.”
Mr Debrah said Chief Directors and Heads of Institutions played a critical role in the process and underlined that data governance must become an institutional priority within every Ministry, Department and Agency, adding that statistical units must be adequately supported, data standards respected and reporting timelines must be adhered to.
“The Office of the President will continue to support this effort and will work closely with the Ghana Statistical Service to monitor progress and ensure that these commitments translate into tangible improvements across the public sector,” Mr Debrah stated.
Furthermore, he noted that the 2026 national budget had made provisions to support priority statistical initiatives and strengthen the capacity of the GSS to coordinate the national statistical system.
The Government Statistician, Mr Alhassan Iddrisu, addressing the gathering, said the initiative marked a decisive step towards improving how data generated by public institutions is used to support national development.
“We are here to formalise a shared commitment to strengthening the national statistical system through better data development, stronger collaboration and more effective information sharing across the statistical community,” he outlined.
Mr Iddrisu also noted that although government institutions generate large volumes of administrative data daily, covering sectors such as health, education, environmental management, public safety and economic activity, much of the information has historically remained fragmented across institutions.
“For many years, this information has been stored in different systems, managed with different standards and often not easily accessible for national planning and policy making. The result is that a country sometimes has data, but not always the complete picture,” he explained.
BY RAYMOND APPIAH-AMPONSA
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