Jaman South census trainees threaten to boycott exercise over poor enumeration  

Trainees taking part in the ongoing training exercise for the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) in the Jaman Municipality of the Bono Region have threatened to boycott the exercise over what they describe as poor remuneration.

The trainees as a warning reportedly staged a boycott right after writing the final examination pending their final selection on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. They have resolved to boycott the exercise until their concerns are addressed by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

 In a letter addressed to the National Census Officer and sighted by Soireenews, the trainers decry what they say as attempts to shortchange them. According to them, instead of GHC440 as transportation fare, it has emerged that they will be paid GHC330 for the 11-day training exercise.

They are also among other things are demanding that allowances for the training and a general review of the allowances for enumerators and supervisors to GHC2,520 and GHC2,940 to GHC3,000 and GHC3,500 respectively.

 “It is surprising to sit for 12 hours each day without any allowance; we would have been paid if we were at our respective job posts. The amount of GHC2, 520 and GHC2, 940 for this year (sic) exercise is comparatively lower”, the letter read in parts.

The 2021 Population and Housing Census begin on the night of Sunday, June 27 as the first fully digital census with the use of tablets for data capture instead of traditional paper questionnaires. It will also use Geographic Positioning System (GPS) to capture the location of all structures and employ interactive area maps for accurate identification of enumeration and supervision areas.