…End of expensive censuses near
Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, is set to unveil a groundbreaking programme designed to assign Ghana card numbers to newborns immediately after birth.
This innovative approach is in line with practices adopted by advanced nations, rendering costly population census efforts Ghana Statistical Service to determine the country’s population size unnecessary.
The official launch is scheduled for 9 am on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the Ga North Municipal Hospital in Ofankor, marking a pivotal moment in the efficient and comprehensive identification of the Ghanaian population.
This initiative showcases a forward-looking approach to governance and data management.
The collaborative effort involves key stakeholders such as the Birth and Death Registry, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service (GHS), and the National Identification Authority (NIA).
Additionally, participants include the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Margins Group, the Ghana Statistical Service, the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Immigration Service.
The Herald’s sources report that, the government and its stakeholder,s have successfully integrated the databases of the Ghana Health Service, Births and Deaths Registry, and the NIA, facilitating the issuance of Ghanacard numbers to newborns.
To qualify for this programme, at least one of the parents must be Ghanaian, and the birth certificate number will be generated simultaneously upon data transmission.
An official familiar with the arrangement emphasized the government’s dedication to identifying all Ghanaians from birth. Additionally, the government plans to extend this initiative to issue Ghanacards to all schoolchildren starting this year.
“We need to identify all Ghanaians from birth,” stated the official, revealing the government’s intention to issue Ghanacards to all school kids this year.
“This will enable us to cover the entire population. Such practices are commonplace in advanced nations. Once implemented, the population census will become irrelevant for determining the size of our population,” the official added.
