A 10-member delegation from the Parliament of Ghana, led by the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, participated in a round table discussion on data-driven policy making. The event was hosted by the British High Commission.
In attendance were the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayarariga, and his Deputy, Kweku Ricketts. The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, welcomed the delegation and emphasized the importance of data in driving development outcomes.
Key speakers included the Vice President of Ghana, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who stressed the need for high data literacy among policymakers. Dr. James Tucker, Deputy Director for International Partnerships at the UK Office for National Statistics, highlighted the benefits of data availability for policymakers.
Other panelists included Prof. Samuel Annim, Government Statistician, and Prof. Peter Quartey, Director at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). They discussed the importance of accurate and up-to-date data for informed policy decisions.
The discussion focused on the need for a structured relationship between the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and Parliament to ensure seamless access to statistical data. The GSS’s data profiling endeavors and the challenges of using outdated data were also addressed.
The round table discussion aimed to promote data-driven policy making in Ghana and explore opportunities for collaboration between Ghana and the UK in this area.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
