Prof. Bokpin calls for Data-Driven National Conversations in Ghana

Economist Professor Godfred Bokpin has criticised public discourse in Ghana, arguing that national conversations are too often shaped by emotion rather than evidence. He emphasised the urgent need to prioritise data—its use, accessibility, and relevance—in shaping public policy.

Professor Bokpin made the remarks during a panel discussion at the 2025 Annual Forum for Data Producers, Users, and Enhancers, highlighting that placing data at the centre of national dialogue is essential for sound economic decision-making.

“As an academic, I put more emphasis on data than gold because I can do without gold. Countries have managed without gold deposits. I will choose data over oil, over gold, over every input, because without data, nothing gets done. That is how important data is,” he stated.

He noted that although the Ghana Statistical Service produces vast amounts of valuable data, much of it remains underutilised. Professor Bokpin urged stronger efforts to harness this resource for economic planning, policy formulation, and business strategy.

“There is so much data harvested in this country by the Ghana Statistical Service. Sometimes we think it exists only to give GDP numbers, but it does so much more. The question is: in our daily lives, how often do we rely on data? How data-driven are we? This country is a talk-show country, forgive me,” he remarked.

Professor Bokpin added that national debates often lack objectivity because they are not data-driven, resulting in unnecessary emotion and conflict.

“If we were driven by data as a country, there would be less disagreement on media platforms, less emotion, and probably less fighting. Data is what it is. If we are doing well, the data says so, regardless of party affiliation. Inflation has come down to 6.3%—you don’t need a prophet to tell you that. Yet, dogmatism and emotional arguments persist because people are not looking at the data,” he explained.

He concluded by calling for a national shift towards making data central to discussions and decision-making. “We need to elevate data in terms of usage and accessibility and put it at the forefront of national conversation. This is how Ghana can achieve meaningful progress,” Professor Bokpin said.