UCC’s Team Badwenba wins StatsBank Hackathon

Team Badwenba, hailing from the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has emerged victorious after a thrilling three-day competition at the inaugural National StatsBank Hackathon.

The University of Ghana’s Team Data Geniuses clinched the second position, closely followed by Team Robust Research from UCC, who secured third place in this closely contested event.

Team Badwenba’s triumphant web application, “Town Craft Initiative,” was crafted using data sourced from the Ghana Statistical Service’s Statsbank. This innovative visualization and analysis dashboard has the remarkable ability to pinpoint deficiencies in education and healthcare services across every district in Ghana.

Comprising MPhil Computer Science students from UCC, the exceptional team members, including Aaron John Tetteh, Andrews Ankomahene, Abraham Boakye, and Sam Washington, were rightfully awarded a cash prize of GH₵20,000 for their outstanding work. The first runner-up was awarded GH₵15,000, while the second runner-up received GH₵10,000.

The panel of judges, composed of experts from the public sector, private sector, and development partners, were entrusted with the task of selecting the deserving winners.

StatsBank Hackathon, is a collaborative effort between the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and Statistics Denmark, is an organization  with the primary goal of raising awareness about the GSS StatsBank and promoting collaboration between GSS, academia, and other institutions.

The StatsBank serves as an online repository of detailed statistics derived from censuses, surveys, and administratively compiled sources.

This first edition of the Hackathon witnessed spirited competition from fifteen teams representing various universities, including the University of Health and Allied Sciences, the University for Development Studies, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

The victors were officially announced during an awards ceremony held on Thursday, October 26, 2023. The event was presided over by Mr. Joe Anokye, the Director General of the National Communications Authority.

In his opening address, the Government Statistician emphasized the profound importance of the Hackathon in advancing GSS’s commitment to supporting data interventions with a multiplier impact (DIMI) and policy interventions with a multiplier impact (PIMI).

He underlined that statistics-focused initiatives like StatsBank play a pivotal role in breaking the cycle of fluctuations in Ghana’s development. He also stressed the substantial returns on investment in statistical data systems, with potential yields ranging from $32 to as high as $70 for developing countries, highlighting the significance of establishing a robust and modernized statistical system.

The program also featured a message of solidarity from Mr. Tom Nørring, the Ambassador of the Embassy of Denmark, a fraternal message on statistical data, research, and policy from the Acting Head of the Civil Service, Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darko, and a statement from Hon. Benson Baba Tongo, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh