Launching a statistical databank is not an everyday event

Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has launched their PX-web based databank called StatsBank Ghana

1 September 2023 13:00

Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) launched their PX-web based databank before the summer vacation in a low-key way. Since then significant amounts of data have been added. To celebrate this and to launch the StatsBank Ghana to academia GSS arranged a High-level Academic Event and a “Hackathon” together with the University of Ghana and the Regional Institute for Population Studies.

Over two days teams of students worked extremely concentrated to turn data from the GSS StatsBank into new knowledge. Knowledge and information helping to explain daily life in Ghana.  Over the coming months GSS will arrange similar “Hackathons” with other universities. The best teams will then meet later in the year and compete again.

The StatsBank Ghana mainly contains data from the 2021 housing and population census but also economic data on subjects like trade and inflations.

The purpose of the “hackathon” is not for students to compete, but mainly to demonstrate to academia and policy planners how the data can be turned into new knowledge by everyone with an internet connection. Secondly, it helps demonstrate the immense value to society of making data freely available in a machine-readable form.

Although statistical databases may sound both abstract and boring they greatly facilitate informed decision-making among politicians and planners and they help citizens understand the world they live in.

The University of Ghana Hackathon was won by team “Beta” who created a dashboard on youth unemployment in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goal #8 - Decent work and economic growth. 

Read more about the Hackathon and team Beta at https://www.graphic.com.gh/tech-news/team-beta-triumphs-in-36hour-hackathon-by-ghana-statistical-service-and-statistics-denmark.html

You can try out the StatsBank Ghana at https://statsbank.statsghana.gov.gh/pxweb/en/

Building on the StatsBank API GSS has launched a Digital Census Atlas. API meaning Applied Programming Interface, which makes it possible to access, process and display data i.e. from the StatsBank Ghana in various ways. The atlas shows indicators related to the 2021 Census on a scalable map. Each thematic map allows the users to extract the data from the StatsBank for further analysis.

Access to the Census Atlas: https://phc-geospatial-results.netlify.app/

The GSS StatsBank is build on the open source tool – PX-Web. Launching the StatsBank was an important milestone in the phase I of the Strategic Sector Cooperation between The Danish Embassy, Statistics Denmark and the Ghana Statistical Service. The Strategic Sector Cooperation projects are financed by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For further information about the project get in touch with Project Manager Jesper Ellemose Jensen (jej@dst.dk) or the international consulting unit of Statistics Denmark.