Innovative Financing Essential for Strengthening Ghana’s National Data Ecosystem – Nyarko Ampem
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Deputy Finance Minister, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has emphasised the urgent need for innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms to strengthen Ghana’s national statistical system and drive inclusive development across the country.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Annual Forum for Data Producers, Users, and Enhancers, he underlined that a robust and resilient statistical system is critical for effective governance, evidence-based policymaking, economic transformation, and social progress. Highlighting the challenges of global economic volatility, climate change, shifting demographics, and increasing public demands for accountability, he warned that countries without reliable data risk poor planning, inefficient resource allocation, and widening inequalities.
“In such an environment, credible data is not optional. It is indispensable. It is the foundation on which resilient nations are built,” he stressed, drawing attention to the central role of statistics in national development.
The Deputy Minister noted the economic value of high-quality data, citing World Bank research indicating that every dollar invested in statistics can yield up to $32 in economic returns through improved policy targeting, better public-sector efficiency, and strengthened investor confidence.
He highlighted major strides Ghana has made in modernising its statistical system, including West Africa’s first fully digital Population and Housing Census, high-frequency surveys, expanded enterprise and agricultural data collection, and the use of geospatial and data science techniques. Public access to official statistics has also improved through platforms such as StatsBank and the Ghana Stats App, which make data more accessible and usable for citizens, researchers, and policymakers.
Despite these advances, Mr. Nyarko Ampem noted structural challenges remain, particularly Ghana’s heavy reliance on donor funding, fragmented administrative databases across ministries and agencies, and limited interoperability between systems. To address these, he pointed to the upcoming National Strategy for the Development of Statistics III (2026–2030) and the Power of Data Initiative, which aim to provide a coordinated framework for long-term investment, innovation, and capacity building across the national statistical ecosystem.
Reaffirming government commitment, he revealed that the 2026 Budget allocates GH¢207 million to support priority statistical operations, including GDP and CPI rebasing, completion of key national surveys, and enhancements in economic and price measurement systems. He called on development partners to continue supporting the sector, but under stronger coordination and alignment with national priorities.
He also urged data producers to deepen innovation and collaboration, while challenging data users, including policymakers, researchers, journalists, and civil society to “demand more data, use more data, and champion transparency and accountability.”
Highlighting opportunities for the private sector, he noted the potential of fintech, precision agriculture, satellite analytics, and credit-scoring technologies. Citizens, he reminded, also have a role to play: data determines the schools children attend, hospitals accessed, jobs created, and taxes collected, making it central to everyday life.
Mr. Nyarko Ampem concluded by underscoring that sustainable domestic financing, innovation, and widespread data use are critical for building a resilient, evidence-driven, and inclusive Ghanaian society.
