Ghana to End Dependence on Donor Funding for Official Statistics as Government Makes Major Promise

The government has pledged to provide sustainable funding for Ghana’s statistical activities as part of efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on donor assistance for the production of official data.

Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, disclosed that the financial commitment would support the core operations of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), including national censuses, surveys and the collection of administrative data.

Speaking to the media after the launch of Ghana in Numbers 2025 in Accra, Dr Iddrisu said the government had assured the Service of the necessary financial resources to sustain its statistical activities.

He explained that the commitment represented a major shift from the country’s traditional reliance on external development partners to finance the production of official statistics.

According to him, the government has recognised the critical role of accurate and reliable data in national development and is prepared to assume greater responsibility for funding the activities required to generate it.

Dr Iddrisu said the proposed funding arrangement would enable the GSS to consistently carry out its data collection responsibilities without depending heavily on donor contributions.

He described the government’s assurance as an important development towards establishing a more sustainable financing structure for Ghana’s national statistical system.

The Government Statistician also disclosed that the Ministry of Finance had expressed its willingness to support a proposed new Statistics Bill, which is expected to strengthen the legal and institutional framework governing the production of official statistics.

He explained that the proposed legislation would enhance coordination among institutions within the national statistical system while providing the Ghana Statistical Service with the institutional independence needed to effectively perform its mandate.

The Service is also seeking to modernise the existing legal framework to accommodate emerging developments in statistical production, particularly the growing application of artificial intelligence and geospatial technology.

Dr Iddrisu said the proposed reforms would strengthen the Service’s capacity to generate timely and relevant statistical information to support national planning, policy formulation and evidence-based decision-making.

Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/10/government-to-reduce-donor-dependence-in-funding-statistical-activities/

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