Farmington Hotel, Margibi County – The Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) conducted a one-day high-level engagement meeting on the development and modernization of statistics in Liberia was in commemoration of the African Statistics Day.
The day is annually observed on November 18 each was held at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County on Saturday, November 27 2021 brought together government officials development partners as well at other relevance stakeholders.
The day which was celebrated under the theme: ‘Improving Statistics for Sustainable Development” aimed to increase public awareness on the important role Statistics and data collections have on all aspects of social, economic and the developmental agenda of a nation.
Speaking at the program, Deputy Minister of Budget and Development Planning, Madam Tanneh G. Brunson said that the development of statistical system cannot be completed until the capacities of the individuals managing are enhance.
Madam Brunson disclosed that to fully implement and monitor the progress, decision makers need data and statistics that are accurate, timely significant needed and easy to be used.
Madam Brunson disclosed that the meeting has provided the platform for development partners and stakeholders including the government to discuss, outlines for Liberia to adequately track progress, sharing experiences, lessons learned and challenges.
Said Madam Brunson, “What data have improved over the years, national statistics and data need to be strengthened. We must need to make the different efforts to not only strengthen statistics capacities but also to update platforms for data gathering of all level of decisions making.”
She adde, “Therefore, we will be able to establish a one statistical framework to address program of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) 2030.”
Also speaking, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Abraham M. Sesay said that at this time, data are needed to conduct a successful census that will meet international standards, Fulfilling a virtue design of Liberia.
Mr. Sesay revealed that data collections recognized issue of fighting poverty and promoting better lives for Liberians, and at the same time can address the availability of current, adequate, validate head count with the location and social demographic data of the people.
Said Mr. Sesay, “We provide essential data that will include government ability to formulate appropriate policy and better manage economic and social development and enhance the measuring in managing the Improvement of living standards, when achieved will provide benchmark for poverty reduction.”
Making a remark, the Director General of LISGIS, Professor Francis F. Wreh said that in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a need for statistics to plan and monitor progress which will untapped many opportunities and challenges to be addressed.
Professor Wreh said that LISGIS is embarking on users’ engagement that will help them understand users need.
Professor Wreh further stressed that the quest of development and modernization required a shift from business as usual to one that will ensure data sharing and the use of digital tools for the collection, analysis and dissemination of data respecting privacy right.
“We can make our statistics as useful as possible. We are aiming to ensure that as part of our mandate of promoting and safeguarding the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public go, we can be guided by common code of principles a s best practice for producers of official statistics to ensure that users have a strong voice in the production of official statistics, and that the producers of these Statistics achieve the objective of meeting users’ needs in more coordinated, harmonized and cost effective way,” Professor Wreh said.
