Vodafone and Statistical Service launch initiative

Vodafone Ghana has partnered the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to launch a not-for-profit “Big Data for Good” initiative aimed at using mobile-derived customer insights to make better predictions for sustainable development.

The concept will use data from mobile networks to make life-saving decisions, especially in a world which continues to be transformed by technology.

A release issued by Joakim Reiter of the Group External Affairs of Vodafone, and copied to the Ghana News Agency said Vodafone Ghana, Vodafone Group Foundation, GSS and Flowminder, a non-profit organisation have come together to lead the way in using “anonymised data” to track trends in population movements.

It said the data could be used for the purposes of decision-making in the health, agriculture, and transportation sectors among others, adding that the partnership was one that would support Ghana to use valuable metrics in making better analyses and predictions for the greater good of all.

The initiative is also expected to help the country to better measure the Sustainable Development Goals indicators.

 “We are leading the way in supporting Ghana’s drive to undertake significant reforms to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.”

It said with close to five billion telecommunication subscribers globally, the power of the mobile phone could not be underestimated.

“Mobile data is now dictating the pace by helping countries and organisations to make better analyses and predictions and Ghana is in a unique position to become a trailblazer across the continent.”

“Our partnership with the Statistical Service, Vodafone Foundation and Flowminder is one that will ultimately prove why data from mobile networks can become a force for the good of society,” it said.
Mr Baah Wadieh, the Acting Government Statistician was quoted as saying that “Our stock-in-trade is to produce big and relevant data that inures to the benefit of the country and its people.”

He noted that there were opportunities and benefits of using “Call Data Records” to create transformation in many countries across the world and that it was not doubtful that the initiative would transform and impact on social lives in Ghana.

“The GSS will ultimately take ownership of the project with data reports from Vodafone Ghana, while Flowminder will ensure that effective mechanism is in place to mine and analyse the information for significant public benefit,” Mr Wadieh said.

The not-for-profit initiative programme is receiving generous funding from the Hewlett Packard Foundation.

Source: GNA

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