The Adaklu District Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Francis Asamani, on Monday, entreated Ghanaians to assist the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to come out with credible data at the end of the upcoming Population and Housing Censuses.

He said this could be done if they participated fully in the exercise.

Mr Asamani, who was speaking with the Ghana News Agency in an interview, said such data was very vital for policy and planning purposes.

He was of the view that it would also ensure the equitable distribution of the country's resources.

He said that the exercise would inform the government to monitor the extent to which the country had progressed since the last census.

The Director said, "you and I count, so let us make sure we are counted."

He cautioned those who were of the view that the census was meant for tax purposes to disabuse their minds of such thoughts and participate in the exercise.

Mr Asamani entreated chiefs and opinion leaders in communities in the Adaklu district, especially to impress on their subjects to take the census seriously and make sure they were counted.

He said non Ghanaians who would spend the census night in the district were eligible to be counted.

Mr Asamani said the vulnerable, including children, destitute and disable were also to be counted.

The 2021 census, which begins on 28th June and ends on 11th July, will consist of Population Census and Housing Census as one operation.

Ghana has conducted five post-independence censuses in 1960, 1970, 1984, 2000 and 2010.