Philomena Nyarko | |
---|---|
Alma mater | University of Southampton University of Ghana |
Occupation | Statistician |
Philomena Efua Nyarko is a Ghanaian statistician and academic, and the former Government Statistician for Ghana, chief executive of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).[1][2][3]
Nyarko has a PhD in social statistics, awarded by the University of Southampton, United Kingdom.[2] She also studied at the University of Ghana, and was awarded a graduate diploma in population studies.[2]
Nyarko started working for the Ghana Statistical Service in 1987.[2] During her time there, she worked on the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 1995.[4] She left the organisation in 1996 and worked at the Navrongo Health Research Centre, leading the Demographic Surveillance System.[2][3] She taught at the University of Ghana from 2001 to 2010, focusing on technical demography, basic statistics, and advanced quantitative analysis.[2][3] During her time there she also worked for the Population Council on reproductive health.[2][3]
Nyarko was appointed acting Government Statistician in 2010.[2][3] She was appointed to the post permanently in 2013.[2][3][5][6][7] Her predecessor had been Grace Bediako.[6] Nyarko remained in post until 2016.[2][3][6]
As Government Statistician, she was responsible for the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey report.[1] She also worked on the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics and the Strategic Plan for the Improvement of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System in Ghana.[2] She set up collaboration between the GSS and Accra Technical University to give students access to statistical training.[8]
On leaving the Ghana Statistical Service, Nyarko worked as a consultant and was on the Expert Group of the Regional Report of the African Gender and Development Index.[2][3] She is also on the board of the African Digital Rights Hub, as vice-chair.[2][3] She is on the board of the University for Development Studies.[2] Nyarko is also working on the Second Phase of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics.[3]
She has been listed by the Graphic as an example of women participating in governance in Ghana, and in the Junior Graphic as a successful female leader.[5][9]
Nyarko has said that access to and take-up of contraception should be improved in Ghana, or there will be adverse effects for the country's development.[10] She has also argued for an increase in the legal age of marriage in Ghana from 18 to 23, in order to decrease population growth and improve women's health.[11]
With extensive teaching and research expertise, Dr. Philomena Efua Nyarko has offered technical guidance and strategic leadership to numerous public and private sector organizations.[12]
Nyarko is married and lives in Kumasi.[13] In 2021 she was reported missing.[13]