The IBES Committee members
The National Steering Committee of the 2023 Ghana Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES) has been inaugurated to oversee the economic census of all businesses in Ghana.
Members of the committee comprise institutional representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana Statistical Service, Ghana Revenue Authority, National Identification Authority, and National Development Planning Commission.
Others are Ghana Enterprise Agency, Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana Union of Traders Association, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and World Bank.
The 2023 IBES will be the fourth conducted in Ghana. The objectives of IBES are to build an updated online business register, update the categorisation of businesses, profile the distribution of businesses by their firmographics, access the worth of businesses, and determine changes in the structure of businesses over time.
Phase I of the 2023 Ghana Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES I) is an economic census that will enumerate all businesses across all sectors of the Ghanaian economy and will be followed by a survey of selected businesses.
Ahead of the inauguration, the Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annin made a presentation on the Rationale and Implementation of the Ghana 2023 IBES 1.
The presentation featured information on what is new in the 2023 IBES such as the expanded scope to include businesses not in structures, collection of geospatial data, automation of data collection processes, and the addition of new modules on digital finance and environmental responsiveness.
He highlighted 15 key areas on the policy’s relevance to business data for Ghana’s development which he said was broadly grouped under data on the characteristics of Ghanaian businesses, business-centred support, understanding business performance and growth, business data analytics and benchmarks for economic indicators.
“The National Steering Committee (NSC) will provide strategic guidance and general oversight of IBES and monitor activities to ensure successful implementation.
The Committee will also assist in the mobilisation of additional resources for the survey as needed,” he said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri