By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE Government has launched the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) for 2014 to 2018.
The NSDS is a strategic plan for developing the National Statistical System (NSS) which was designed to provide a holistic, coherent and comprehensive framework for improving the NSS and developing official statistics in the country in a sustainable manner.
The NSDS aimed to bridge the identified data gaps by increasing the relevance and availability of data, improving the cost-effectiveness of data collection and developing capabilities of data management as well as data analysis across all sectors.
Launching the NSDS in Lusaka yesterday, Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska said statistics were very critical to this particular process.
“It is  in the gathering  and processing of information that we are able to know our strengths visa vie our programming capabilities, over evaluative capabilities and  also to situate ourselves within an ever increasing hostile globalised environment,” Dr Msiska said.
Dr Msiska said the Government had remained committed to the development of statistics in the country as could be attested by the signing and subsequent ratification of 2009 African charter on statistics in accordance with the 1994 United Nations (UNI) fundamental principles of official statistics.
“The Government approved the NSDS on May 5, 2014 to ensure integration with the NSS is established for the production of reliable comprehensive and harmonised official statistics that are useful for decision making,” he said.
Dr Msiska said that it was expected that NSDS had been built upon the foundation of a clear situational analysis and assessment of the current status of the NSS.
He said this system included the user needs and perceptions, data quality, legal institutional and coordination arrangements and statistical capacity as well as an understanding of organisational
weaknesses and opportunities.