Regional Report: Yaamansa residents boycott 2021 Population & Housing Census

Residents of Yaamansa in the Jaman South Municipality of the Bono Region have refused to take part in the ongoing 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC).

Census officials from the Jaman North District who visited the community on June 28, 2021, were unable to enumerate a single household.

The situation was not different on day two of the exercise as the residents still refused to avail themselves for the all-important national exercise citing wrong coding of the community and neglect by the government for the decision.

A visited to the community by Ghanaweb’s Bono Regional Correspondent, Aboagye Addo Frank showed that although all structures and households in the community have been chalked and listed, not a single household has been enumerated as of Wednesday, 30, June 2021.

Some of the residents who spoke to Ghanaweb revealed that they have taken the decision to boycott the exercise in the best interest of the community.

They expressed their displeasure at the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) for once again capturing them under the Jaman North District just like they did in 2010.

Others especially the women in the community hinged their decision not to be enumerated on the absence of developmental projects like good roads, potable water, and a bridge on the Werewere River.

“We have taken the decision not to allow ourselves to be enumerated in the ongoing exercise until our demands are met. One community cannot be captured under two different Districts at different times for different purposes and so our demand is simple, we want them to capture us under the Jaman South and not Jaman North in other to attract the needed development to this community”.

Mr Frank Adu an opinion leader in the community disclosed that the wrongful capturing of the community over the years has affected the development in the area so until authorities make a decision on where they belong, they will continue with the boycott.

Meanwhile, the Bono Regional Statistician, Mr. Amatus Nobabumah has told Ghanaweb that his outfit will continue to explore all available avenues to have the community enumerated as the boycott of the exercise will have serious ramifications on the community.