By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia Bureau of Statistic (GBoS) has over the weekend launched the National Strategy for the Development of Statistic 2(NSDS 2) of 2018-2022 in order to become more proficient in the provision of data.
The five-year NSDS2, aims to be efficient and timely in the provision of good quality official statistics, to monitor progress, evaluate impact, as well as highlight strategic issues for policy decisions.
The NSDS2 is premised on six pillars namely, an efficient and well-coordinated NSS( National Statistical System), quality and sustainable Human Resources across NSS, enhance physical, ICT and statistical infrastructure, improved data production and dissemination , assured quality of data and sustainable funding arrangements and partnerships.
Mr. Nyakassi A Sanyang, Statician General at GBoS, said the development of the NSDS2 went through a rigorous process in collaboration with the various Ministries and partners to ensure that a befitting NSDS 2 for the country.
He said “The NSDS is a multi-year statistical development program, which contains all the key activities to be implemented by the National Statistic System, and serves as a building block for annual statistical program”.
Sanyang called for collective efforts to ensure the successful implementation of the NSDS 2, while urging the lawmakers to help in facilitating an efficient budgetary allocation to statistical activities, adding that this will guarantee a timely implementation of NSDS and other statistical operations.
Mr. Babucarr Sarr, Chairman of the National Statistic Council, said the country cannot be effectively run on the basis of hunches or trial and error, while stating that business and economics depend on the correct analysis of numerical information.
Sarr added “Decision based on data will provide better results than those based on intuition or gut feelings”.
He further said that deliberate misuse of statistics is inexcusable and unaccepted, adding that it undermines the integrity of the NSS as well as render their work useless.
He said “We therefore collaborate and work together if nothing else, our results and findings will be more accurate, believable and consequently more useful”.
Josselin Amalfi, EU representative, disclosed that 2.5 million euro is available for the implementation of this project and said “between October 2018 and September 2020, an EU Technical Assistant for data collection and management, will work alongside with the GBoS to strengthen its policy making potentials”.
Ebrima Sillah, the Information Minister, said the purpose of the NSDS 2 is mainly to plan the activities of the national statistical system, coordinate between producers of official statistics and obtain a mandate of statistical work from the government, with a view to making the judicious use of the scarce resources.
