Credible information reaching The Chronicle newspaper indicates that the Government Statistician, Dr. Grace Bediako, has been ordered to proceed on leave by the board, headed by Prof. Francis Dodoo, under bizarre circumstances. The second deputy, Dr. Philomena Nyarko, has been asked to take over operations at the Service.

Technically, Dr. Bediako’s First Deputy, Mr. Opoku Manu Asare, should have automatically taken over, but he too has been ordered to proceed on annual leave, because he is perceived to be in the good books of Dr. Grace Bediako.

The shocking decision was taken at the time Dr. Bediako had traveled to South Africa on an official trip. She is expected back home today.

Information gathered by The Chronicle indicates that Dr. Grace Bediako is being hounded out of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) for her refusal to alter the 2010 census figures in some of the regions to favour the ruling government.

The Chronicle learnt that for some time now, the board has been breathing down the neck of Dr. Bediako to manipulate the figures, but she has since developed a though skin against these forces, and the only way to kick her out is asking her to proceed on leave.

The Chronicle was told by usually reliable sources that the GSS had set April 4th, this year, to release the final census results, but the current development is set to derail the schedule, and at worst, bring onto dispute the credibility of the figures when they are finally released.

The Chronicle further established that some individuals are also eager to take over control of a World Bank fund allocated to the Statistical Service for its operations, but risk being withdrawn because it has not as yet been utilized.

The Chronicle was told by a reliable source yesterday, that the Acting Statistician, Dr. Philomena Nyarko, held a marathon meeting with the senior staff yesterday, where she urged them to give her their maximum support, as she steers the affairs of the Service.

Source: The Chronicle