In a historic collaboration between the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the University for Development Studies (UDS), the nation witnessed the unveiling of its first integrated data repository, the Statistics Bank (StatsBank). The event, which began on September 24th and culminated in the main launch on September 26th, took place at the Tamale Campus of UDS.

The opening ceremony featured the Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, who welcomed students, young researchers, and academic staff to the event, urging them to prioritize accuracy in their research. Prof. Annim applauded the dedication of research participants and wished them success in the ensuing hackathon competition.

Participating teams were divided into six groups: Team Tama, Team Gbewaa, Team Rawlings, Team Gbungli, Team Gbanzaba, and Team Boabab.

The official launch of the StatsBank was preceded by an exciting Hackathon held at the UDS Guest and climaxed at the Dr. Andan Andani Academic Chamber on September 26th, 2023. Prof. Seidu Alhassan, the Vice-Chancellor of UDS, who presided over the event, reiterated UDS' unwavering commitment to become a leading research institution in the country.

The Deputy Government Statistician, Dr. Faustina Frimpong Ajua expressed her delight at seeing the passion and commitment on the part of the students to help to find solutions to the challenges in their various communities, with innovative ideas. She emphasized that the Academic the GSS StatsBank would enable users to access disaggregated data from the censual and surveys, with over 350 million statistical data, including indicators from the 2021 Population and Housing Census, and a comprehensive set of macro-economic indicators.

The Dean of the UDS Graduate School, Prof. Francis Kweku Amagloh stated that, the platform aims to empower policymakers, professionals, and students, promoting inclusive and widespread data-driven decision-making across the nation.

A data Scientist from the Statistical Service provided a demonstration of how the StatsBank system could be navigated, showcasing its user-friendly interface.

The participating teams each presented their research findings. Team Boabab analyzed unemployment in Ghana, revealing a higher rate in urban areas compared to rural regions. They recommended vocational skills development as a solution to create self-employment opportunities and reduce unemployment and poverty.

Team Tama focused on the gaps in health coverage, emphasizing the importance of educating and raising public awareness about the National Health Insurance to mitigate threats to health coverage in Ghana.

Team Gbewaa looked into inequality in Ghana, with their findings indicating higher inequality in the upper parts of the country compared to the Northern regions.

Team Rawlings concentrated on information regarding access to water, shedding light on critical aspects of water availability and accessibility.

Team Gbanzaba analyzed unimproved solid waste in Ghana, emphasizing the need for sustainable waste management practices.

Lastly, Team Gbungli examined teenage pregnancies in Ghana, providing valuable insights into this pressing issue.

In the end, Team Gbewaa emerged as the overall winner, received a cheque for GHS 5,000. Team Rawlings was awarded GHS 2,000 as the first runner-up, and Team Gbungli secured the third position with a cash prize of GHS 1,000.

The launch of StatsBank and the Hackathon marked a significant step forward in promoting data-driven solutions for the nation's challenges, fostering collaboration between academia and the Ghana Statistical Service, and encouraging innovative research efforts to address critical societal issues. The winning team, team Gbewaa will represent the university at the national level to compete with other universities in the country.

Story by: 
Yussif Ismail (UDS Media)
Abubakar Hafsah Bance (UDS Media)