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The inconveniencies and frustrations involved in the acquisition of birth certificates and other personal documents in the country, has compelled some Ghanaians to forge their vital information such as place and date of birth.

Ms. Mildred Mina Mintah, Chief Executive Officer of Malibban Population Network Ghana (MAPnet Ghana), a population data collection oriented Non- Governmental Organisation(NGO) who disclosed this said , some people even crave new names to ease this burden.

Delivering a speech at the launch of the NGO in Cape Coast on Thursday, she indicated that this issue, among many others, was as a result of inconsistency and lack of a common platform for population analysis, result accessibility and inter-correlation with the various stakeholders.

MAPnet, She said envisions “to have a holistic population data of both the living and the dead of Ghanaian populace in place , create a platform for cross-checking of real detailed information about persons in the country, upon request , to forestall all discrepancies in the system”

Established in February 2014, it seeks to create community awareness on the early acquisition of birth and death certificate, assist people to retrieve lost birth certificate with ease at the unit of acquisition, and have an up -to-date community population analysis data for economic planning.

Other objectives are to promote community development through advocacy role at every developmental planning unit within the country, unearth the true and informed history about various communities.

Ms. Mintah said although the 2010 Population and Housing Census by the Ghana Statistical Service and other studies had provided some basic data on the fertility and mortality dynamics , socio-economic characteristics among others of the Ghanaian population , more needed to be done.

“There is the need for additional relevant data collection, monitoring on daily basis for effective evaluation and analysis to help make evidence –based decisions. This requires the tracking of our demographic changes for a real socio-economic planning and development”.

A country undergoing development such as Ghana, she said, values and depends fully on the realistic mechanized database on her economic variables and characteristics and that it was high time the prospective needs of the fast growing communities were salvaged before it went out of hand.

Ms. Mintah said the NGO will bridge the gap between the various district assemblies, Agencies, researchers, religious bodies and development partners and therefore called on all stakeholders to collaborate and assist it.

Mr. Francis Abban, the Initiator and Deputy CEO in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said it took him more than five years of study and observation to implement many ideas of MAPnet Ghana, adding that, he considers it to be a solution to Ghana’s economy.

Nana Mbroba Dabo, Queen mother of Anomabo who presided stressed the importance of population data and commended MAPnet for their initiative.

The event was also used to inaugurate a nine-member board/ Executive Council Members which has Dr. Albert Obeng Mensah as chairman and Ms. Sylvia Obo as executive secretary.