President Mahama Swears In New Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu
- Meet Ghana’s New Data Chief and His Big Plans for Numbers that Matter
Ghana’s push for data-driven governance received a significant boost as President John Dramani Mahama swore in Dr Alhassan Iddrisu as the country’s new Government Statistician. At a ceremony held at the Jubilee House in Accra, the President urged the newly appointed head of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to anchor his tenure on credibility, modernisation, and strategic relevance.
Dr. Iddrisu, a respected economist with deep expertise in macroeconomic policy and statistical development, assumes leadership at a time when timely data are increasingly essential to Ghana’s macroeconomic stabilisation programme and decentralisation reforms.
“This is a call to lead the charge in placing data and evidence at the heart of governance and national transformation,” Dr. Iddrisu remarked in his acceptance speech. Flanked by senior government officials, including Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Ministers from Interior, Health, Defence, Justice, and Communications, the incoming statistician outlined an ambitious vision to rebuild trust and modernise the GSS.
A Modern Data Ecosystem for Inclusive Policy
At the heart of Dr. Iddrisu’s agenda is the development of a modern, agile, and technologically advanced statistical service capable of delivering high-quality, policy-relevant data in real time. The reform roadmap includes the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the extension of CPI reporting to the district level, a move expected to enhance the accuracy of inflation targeting and support fiscal decentralisation.
Recognising Ghana’s evolving demographic and spatial economic dynamics, Dr. Iddrisu also pledged to produce inflation data on a rural-urban basis, aimed at capturing price differences that currently escape the national lens. This, he explained, would help strengthen the targeting of social protection programmes and guide wage-setting negotiations.
GDP Rebasing, Regional Data, and Real-Time Growth Metrics
One of the most notable aspects of Dr. Iddrisu’s inaugural policy agenda is the shift in the rebasing cycle of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the current ten-year interval to a five-year benchmark. He also announced plans to begin producing regional GDP figures to aid subnational policy and investment planning.
In a bid to strengthen short-term macroeconomic monitoring, he proposed the introduction of a Monthly Indicator of Economic Growth (MIEG), a localised complement to the Bank of Ghana’s Composite Index of Economic Activity (CIEA). This would allow policymakers to respond faster to economic shocks and opportunities, especially amid tight fiscal conditions.
Labour Market Focus: Quarterly Jobs Data
On labour and employment statistics, Dr. Iddrisu committed to the regular production of quarterly employment and unemployment data, with an emphasis on youth participation and job creation under government flagship programmes. Ghana currently lacks up-to-date and high-frequency employment statistics, making labour market policy both reactive and fragmented.
“These indicators will not only help the government measure performance,” Dr. Iddrisu noted, “but will also offer the private sector clarity on workforce dynamics and investment planning.”
A Technocrat with Proven Expertise
Dr. Iddrisu’s appointment is widely viewed as a strategic move to align Ghana’s statistical ecosystem with the country’s broader economic management ambitions. His prior roles include senior positions in the Ministry of Finance and advisory roles in public policy institutions, where he championed evidence-based fiscal frameworks and analytical models.
President Mahama described Dr. Iddrisu’s leadership as timely, noting the urgency of “rebuilding public trust in data at a time when Ghana is making tough economic choices.”
