Accra, Oct. 8, GNA - The Census Secretariat is holding three

concurrent operational assessment consultations with

supervisors in the northern, middle and southern zones on the

progress of the 2010 Population and Housing Census (PHS). Mr David Y. Kombat, Director of Field Operations, told the

Ghana News Agency, in an interview, in Accra, on Friday, that

the consultations were expected to end by Monday, October

11, after which the Secretariat would determine whether to

extend the period of the census or end it. He denied suggestions that the period of the 2010 PHS had

been extended. The two-week exercise, which started at on the midnight

on September 26, is expected to end on October 10. He said by the terms of contract, signed with field

enumerators, their exercise ends on October 14 by which time

they are expected to capture all within their catchments

jurisdiction, prepare and submit their reports to the

Secretariat. Mr Kombat, however, explained that the Secretariat was

not oblivious to operational challenges. He said: "We had strategic emergency mechanisms in the

general programming of the exercise to ensure that we reduce

field hiccups. "Currently, with the involvement of the military, materials

have been dispatched to all regions to supplement the forms

already in the field and make up for the shortages in some

areas, with back-up materials at Accra. "We have enough materials in the field and nobody should

use an exercise book or any other material to capture census

data; don't allow any enumerator to capture your information

on any form other than the enumeration form." On challenges some enumerators encountered on the

Census Night, especially in Accra with people who sleep

outside, Mr Kombat said an officer of the Customs, Excise and

Preventive Service (CEPS), who had been working with

"Kayayie", had been seconded to the Secretariat to assist to

capture those who were not enumerated on census night. About 50,000 enumerators have been trained by the Ghana

Statistical Office to undertake the enumeration exercise whilst

about 27,240 enumeration centres have been created. The enumerators are wearing blue "T" shirts with "2010

Census Official" written behind it. They have their ID cards

hanging on their necks. The census is to collect detailed statistics on the size of the

population for effective planning. The exercise is also to collect data on the composition and

distribution of Ghana's population, the residential

accommodation and facilities in use. "This information will be crucial in determining the

development policy direction of the county," according to the

Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). It adds that the census will be an important source of

comprehensive data on persons with disabilities, helping to

assess their social and living conditions in terms of school

attendance and educational attainment, employment, marital

status and living arrangements. This is the first time disability issues are being included in

the Population and Housing Census. The census will also include a housing census, which is the

official enumeration of all living quarters, either occupied or

vacant, and occupants thereof at that time. "The enumeration also implies the collection, compilation,

analysis and dissemination of demographic and socio-economic

statistics relating to the population," according to GSS. Ghana has had 10 population censuses since 1891. The last

population census was in 2000 when 18.9 million people were

counted. Estimates have put Ghana's population at 23.4

million.