Newly sworn-in Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, has pledged to regularly release quarterly employment and unemployment data to help track jobs created by the government through its flagship job creation policies. This commitment is part of his broader vision to build a modern, world-class, technology-driven, agile, and trusted Statistical Service.
Dr. Iddrisu stated that this initiative is among the innovative policies he intends to champion in order to position the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) at the core of development and policy decisions. The goal is to ensure that data-driven insights shape national transformation efforts.
Delivering his inaugural speech at the Jubilee House on May 2, 2025, Dr. Iddrisu emphasized the critical role of accurate and timely data in Ghana’s socio-economic transformation.
He reaffirmed the GSS’s commitment to supporting the government’s macroeconomic stabilization programme and key flagship initiatives, including the 24-Hour Economy Policy, Agriculture for Transformation Agenda, Adwumawura Programme, National Apprenticeship Programme, National Coders Programme, and the ongoing anti-corruption drive.
“We are committed to delivering credible, timely, and relevant data to support our macroeconomic stabilization programme and our socio-economic development agenda, including flagship initiatives such as the 24-Hour Economy Policy, Agriculture for Transformation Agenda, Adwumawura Programme, National Apprenticeship Programme, National Coders Programme, and the anti-corruption drive,” he said.
Dr. Iddrisu highlighted the importance of employment data in supporting macroeconomic stability. He announced that the Statistical Service will begin producing quarterly employment and unemployment statistics to measure key indicators such as absorption rates, youth employment, transitions in and out of employment, and the effectiveness of government job creation efforts.
Government Statistician, Ghana Statistical Service
“On employment and unemployment, we will institutionalize the production of quarterly data to capture trends in employment, absorption rates, and youth not in employment. This will also allow us to assess the impact of government’s flagship initiatives on job creation,” he stated.
In line with the government’s “Reset” Agenda, he also promised to respond promptly to the economy’s emerging data needs.
Dr. Iddrisu affirmed that all initiatives will be guided by the Statistical Service Act, 2019 (Act 1003), which emphasizes the importance of producing timely, accurate, and credible official statistics. The Act also promotes open engagement with data users and seeks to transform the national statistical system into a dynamic, technology-driven platform for evidence-based decision-making.
Government Statistician, Ghana Statistical Service
Dr. Iddrisu outlined three priority areas for strengthening the GSS: pricing and inflation, economic data, and employment statistics.
He announced plans to:
- Institutionalize the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) every three years (currently every seven).
- Expand CPI data collection to the district level to support decentralized policymaking.
- Report CPI and inflation data from a rural-urban perspective.
- On economic data, he pledged to:
- Rebase Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) every five years to ensure accuracy and relevance.
- Produce GDP statistics at the regional level.
- Highlight the revenue potential of GDP subcomponents for fiscal planning and structural reforms.
- Launch a Monthly Indicator of Economic Growth (MIEG) to complement the Bank of Ghana’s Composite Index of Economic Activity.
Dr. Iddrisu, who previously served as Director of the Economic Strategy and Research Division at the Ministry of Finance, succeeds Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, who was appointed by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration in March 2019.
Profile
Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu is a seasoned economist with over 27 years of experience in economic policy management, public finance, development economics, climate change financing, petroleum revenue management, and economic integration.
Over the years, Dr. Iddrisu has held various key leadership roles within the Ministry of Finance, including Director of the Economic Planning Division (EPD), the Real Sector Division (RSD), and the Economic Research and Forecasting Division (ERFD). His leadership has significantly shaped Ghana’s economic policies and frameworks.
He has also served on numerous national boards and committees, and worked with international institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, African Union (AU), and ECOWAS. His expertise has been sought in various global and local development consultations.
Dr. Iddrisu’s outstanding public service has earned him multiple accolades, including being named “Best Director” in Ghana’s Civil Service for four separate years (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022), in recognition of his exceptional commitment and impact.
As an academic and mentor, Dr. Iddrisu has contributed to the education and professional development of many through teaching, capacity-building, and policy research.
He holds a PhD and Master’s degree in International Development Studies from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo, Japan, as well as an MPhil in Economics and a BA in Economics and Statistics from the University of Ghana, Legon.