Some governmental institutions have been responsible for poor gathering, collection and assessment of data, which is instrumental for national policy and decision making process, so disclosed Central Statistics Agency. Approached by The Ethiopian Herald Central Statistics Agency Communication Director, Safee Gemde noted that governmental institutions have been accountable for feeding misinformed data, making statistical fallacies and applying incorrect methodologies. These follies are harmful for overall performance of the country.
The director said that the Agency has been witnessing loopholes in provision of sound andvalid data. There are gaps in presenting numerical proof of evidences that are significant for quality data assessment for the implementation of nation-wide developmental policies, strategies and goals.They as well could have invisible hands in political activities. Adding, he said, against the aforementioned backdrop, currently the Agency is attaching much concern to proper data collection and appropriate assessment of quality data, emanating from governmental institutions.
The Agency is aiming at throwing its full weight behind the task in a bid to ensure a well-established and founded data structural framework. He further said the Agency is doing its level best to overhaul and change the handling of data gathering, collection and assessment in the ministries of Agriculture, Health, Education,Water and Energy as well Road Construction.
Pertaining to accessing quality data, he pointed out that the Agency has placed focal attention on the aforesaid ministries in light of the fact that these governmental institutions are charged with huge responsibilities in catalyzing nation’s socio-economic pick up and warding off social status and stratification constraints.They as well are entrusted with the task of problemsolving.
“Unless the Agency upgrade itself in intensively utilizing GPS technology and in building employees’ capacities, in averting sample errors, in curbing inefficient and ineffectiveness, in containing deliberate statistics fallacy and in avoiding incorrect methodologies problems will continue to poke their ugly faces here and there,” he added.
He remarked that the Agency is working hard to further strengthen its services, which is bolstered by the national statistical system.It strives to build publicly accessible and reliable statistics and for sound management system to aid informed-decision being made at the highest level of government.
He stated that sectorial data must be accurate and timely to be effectively and credibly utilized by policy makers and stakeholders for decision making, resource mobilization and managing national program projects. Government institutions are mandated to handling data and statistical information with a precautionary manner, for such inputs are key indicators for national macro and microeconomics as well as human development index.
Concerning statistical data presentation and reporting for national and international organizations, he noted that national planning commission has taken responsibility in interpreting the seed data and reporting data for national consumption and international organizations such as World Bank and IMF.
Herald January 27/2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
