President Mahama and Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, Government Statistician
President John Dramani Mahama has officially sworn in Dr Alhassan Iddrisu as the new Government Statistician, tasking him with the critical responsibility of placing credible data and evidence at the center of Ghana’s national transformation agenda.
The brief ceremony, held at the Jubilee House in Accra on May 2, 2025, was attended by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Ministers for Interior, Health, Defence, Communications, and Justice, as well as other distinguished guests.
In his acceptance remarks, Dr Iddrisu expressed profound gratitude to President Mahama for the trust reposed in him, pledging to treat the role not merely as a position, but as a sacred national duty.
“This is a call to lead the charge in placing data and evidence at the heart of governance and national transformation,” Dr Iddrisu stated.
“In a rapidly changing world where information drives prosperity, the role of the Ghana Statistical Service has never been more crucial.”
Dr Iddrisu outlined a bold vision for the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), committing to build a modern, technology-driven, agile, and trusted institution capable of producing credible, timely, and relevant data to support Ghana’s macroeconomic stabilisation and socio-economic development initiatives.
Among his top priorities is the fast-tracking of the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to improve the accuracy of inflation data.
He also aims to extend CPI reporting to the district level in support of the government’s decentralisation agenda and provide inflation data on a rural-urban basis to capture regional price dynamics.
In terms of economic data, Dr Iddrisu announced plans to rebase Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) every five years, an improvement over the current ten-year cycle, and to begin producing regional GDP figures to inform local policymaking.
He also revealed plans to introduce Monthly Indicators of Economic Growth (MIEG) to complement the Bank of Ghana’s Composite Index of Economic Activity (CIEA).
On employment statistics, Dr Iddrisu emphasised the importance of regularly producing quarterly employment and unemployment data.
This, he said, will enable better tracking of labor market trends, the impact of government flagship programs, and youth unemployment.
“With the enduring support of the President, the Honourable Finance Minister, our development partners, and the good people of Ghana, I am committed to working with the exceptional team at GSS to position our Service as a world-class institution and a trusted pillar in Ghana’s development journey,” Dr Iddrisu affirmed.
Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, a seasoned economist and statistician, brings to the role extensive experience in macroeconomic management, public policy, and data analysis.
His appointment marks a new chapter for the Ghana Statistical Service as it seeks to become a beacon of excellence and a driver of national development through evidence-based decision-making.
