Author: Peter Martey Agbeko, APR
In a country like Ghana where public confidence in institutions is often fragile and data-driven decision-making remains an uphill climb, it is rare to find a public servant who not only does his job well but also redefines it in the public eye. That is precisely what the now-former Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, achieved during his tenure.
And yet, to the shock of many, the government has seen fit to replace him—just when his work was gaining the traction, relevance, and public trust the statistical service had long lacked.
Why fix what isn’t broken?
A Refreshing Change in a Dry Landscape
Statistics—by nature—aren’t glamorous. They’re not dramatic, they don’t trend on Twitter, and they don’t rally crowds. But they are essential. They help governments plan, shape policies, and respond to crises. For far too long, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) was perceived as a dull, bureaucratic outpost churning out unintelligible data that rarely influenced the public conversation.
Prof. Annim changed that.
He gave numbers a face and a voice. He transformed the GSS into a modern, engaging, and trusted institution. From the successful rollout of the first digital Population and Housing Census in Ghana’s history to the timely release of CPI and GDP data that fed into national economic discourse, his leadership was marked by transparency, credibility, and innovation.
His approach humanised data. He didn’t just publish statistics; he interpreted them, explained their relevance, and showed how they impacted the daily lives of Ghanaians. Through media engagements, outreach programs, partnerships with academia, and the infusion of data into policy, Prof. Annim helped demystify his profession. He built a bridge between the Ghana Statistical Service and the Ghanaian people.
A Departure Without Justification?
The sudden replacement of such a transformational figure begs the question: why now? Why remove someone who was clearly delivering? Where is the public justification for this decision, and how does it serve the national interest?
Ghana’s development challenges—economic volatility, youth unemployment, food insecurity, climate vulnerability—are complex and deeply rooted. Solving them requires accurate, timely, and trusted data. In Prof. Annim, the country had a steady hand on the tiller; someone who was not only capable of gathering data but passionate about using it to drive evidence-based development.
If performance, credibility, and innovation are no longer the metrics for retaining high-level public officers, then what is?
This Is Not Just About One Man
This isn’t merely about one man being moved on. It’s about a larger pattern of undermining institutions through abrupt and unexplained leadership changes. It’s about signaling to other committed professionals in the public service that dedication, excellence, and innovation may not be enough to secure your post. That is a dangerous message to send—especially in a country that needs all hands on deck.
Leadership matters, and institutional memory matters even more. If governments are to truly be guided by data, they must protect and preserve the capacity of institutions that produce it. You do not remove your star player in the middle of the game—especially when the scoreboard is finally beginning to reflect some progress.
We Must Demand Better
As citizens, professionals, and patriots, we must raise our voices not out of sentiment, but out of a deep concern for how public institutions are managed. The role of Government Statistician is not ceremonial—it is central to national planning and international accountability. If there is a legitimate reason for this change, let it be made public. Transparency should not be optional.
Until then, I will continue to celebrate the exemplary work of Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim. He made statistics cool again. He made public service honourable. And for that, he deserves our thanks—not an unexplained dismissal.
