The Ghana Statistical Service and the United Nations Development Program Ghana have signed an MoU with the Ghana Institute of Journalism to certify journalists in data story telling.
This forms part of efforts to enhance the capacity of journalists in accurately reporting on statistical data.
The UNDP Economic Advisor in Ghana, Frederick Mugisha in an interview said the role of journalists cannot be underestimated hence the need to effectively use statistical data to push for development in the country.
Mr Mugisha explained that, “The real objective is to make sure that we bridge this gap between statistics and change in people’s lives. The journalists have a big role to play; [that is to] inform the public, hold us accountable and also to shape the development conversation. [This raises the question of ] what should the country be looking at and what data helps to bring that into perspective. When we have statistics it is easier for everybody.”
Journalists across Ghana will benefit from the program to enhance journalistic reportage of statistical data so as to be able to advocate for data-driven policies as well as decision-making, planning, monitoring and evaluation.
The Director for Census and Surveys of Ghana Statistical Service, Abena Osei Akoto said “the statistical service has been coming up with statistics and the media has been helping us by bringing the statistics up and getting it appreciated. But when they come up with the data, they will also need what went into the production of the statistics, interpreting it right and also appreciating the use of it. So this brought about the need for us to have partnership to help educate journalists in appreciating the statistics being churned out by the statistical service.”
She further added that the program will help “journalists to a appreciate and interpret data rightly and then use it in a way to also bring about development in our societies.”
“So basically the idea is to help educate and help appreciate the use of statistics and in so doing, since they are the mouthpiece to their populace, they can also help educate the populace to appreciate the use and then interprete statistics being turned out in order to help improve our environment”.
