Ghana’s newly sworn-in Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, has unveiled an ambitious reform agenda for the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), aimed at transforming it into a world-class, tech-driven institution.
In a move to enhance labour market intelligence, Dr. Iddrisu announced plans to regularise the production of quarterly employment and unemployment statistics, enabling more accurate tracking of youth joblessness and the performance of flagship job creation programmes. The initiative seeks to provide real-time data to support critical interventions such as the 24-Hour Economy Policy, Adwumawura, and the National Apprenticeship Programme.
“With the enduring support of the President, the Honourable Finance Minister, our development partners, and the good people of Ghana, I am committed to working with the exceptional team at GSS to position our Service as a world-class institution and a trusted pillar in Ghana’s development journey,” Dr. Iddrisu affirmed.
To deepen economic insight, the GSS will also begin producing regional GDP estimates and shift Ghana’s GDP rebasing cycle from 10 to five years, an alignment with international best practices. Additionally, a new Monthly Indicator of Economic Growth (MIEG) will be introduced to complement the Bank of Ghana’s Composite Index of Economic Activity.
Dr. Iddrisu reaffirmed his commitment to data credibility and transparency, promising inflation reporting at both rural-urban and district levels. The rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be accelerated to improve data accuracy and support the government’s decentralisation drive.
Speaking during his swearing-in by President John Dramani Mahama, Dr. Iddrisu pledged to build a responsive, agile GSS that anticipates emerging data needs in a fast-evolving economy. Backed by national leadership and development partners, the reforms aim to position the GSS as a cornerstone of Ghana’s development architecture.
