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• Better dialogue on statistics for better
  development results Meeting data needs of users
  in Ghana through the National Statistical System
• Bamako
• 23-25 June, 2014

2
Outline of the presentation

• The National Statistical System (NSS) in Ghana
• Who are the stakeholders?
• What data are requested?
• How does the NSS meet the data needs of users?
• Challenges of the NSS
• Attempts at overcoming the challenges
• Role of the GSDP (NSDS)
• Impact of GSDP/NSDS in Ghana

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The National Statistical System (NSS)

• This system looks at a holistic approach to the
  production and effective utilisation of official
  statistics
• All units producing statistical information play
  their part and complement each others work
  through exchange of information, sharing of
  standards and statistical resources (EA maps,
  questionnaires, data collection templates, etc.)
• The NSS assures uniformity of direction,
  methods and processes of official statistics

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Who are the stakeholders?

• Stakeholders within the NSS are individuals,
  institutions and all others who have a role to
  play in the production of statistics. They
  include
• Government - a major stakeholder
• Data Producers GSS/MDAs/MMDAs/NGOs, etc
• Individuals who supply the information
  (Respondents)
• Data Users (Government, Individuals, Businesses,
  Training Research Institutions, International
  organisations, Development Partners).
• Experts from Training and Research Institutions,
  government, private and non-governmental
  institutions, Multi-lateral financial
  institutions
• Resource providers /Development Partners
• The Ghana Statistical Service plays a
  coordinating role

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What data are requested?

• Economic data (National Accounts, Trade,
  Industrial, Agric. Price Statistics)
• Social Demographic Statistics, including Census
  and Survey data (Population, Labour, Crime,
  Health, Education, etc)
• Geographic Information System (GIS) Data
  (Information on Enumeration Areas, Maps)
• Number of requests from Jan - May, 2014
• Economic data - 30
• Social and Demographic Statistics - 93
• GIS Data - 29

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How does the NSS meet data needs?

• Dialogue with stakeholders to know their data
  needs and incorporate them when designing surveys
• Document data requests from Govt, MDAs
  Researchers, DPs, international bodies, and
  students
• Carry out routine data collection and disseminate
  results (e.g., CPI, PPI, GDP)
• Conduct periodic surveys and censuses such as
  GLSS, DHS, MICS, PHCs, Agric, Industrial and
  Population Censuses
• Survey and Census reports and data disseminated
  through electronic media, workshops and uploaded
  onto GSS website
• Data Centre set up to respond quickly to data
  requests (Archiving/Production/Dissemination
  Units)

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Challenges of the NSS

• Coordination challenges
• Different Laws guiding different institutions in
  terms of statistics production (GSS Law
  (PNDCL135) Civil Service Law 1993 (PNDCL327)
  etc)
• Proliferation of data with quality concerns
• Institutional challenges/weaknesses
• Gaps in human resources available (inadequate
  skills)
• Difficulty in recruiting and retaining
  professional staff
• Poor terms and conditions of service
• Data Gaps
• Inability to produce the range of statistics
  users need such as data on climate change,
  pollution
• Long delays and irregular release of data
• Inadequate resources to support statistics
  production
• Inadequate budgetary resources
• Issue of sustainability where donor support is
  involved

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Attempts by the NSS at resolving the challenges

• Institutional reform of GSS (the Coordinator)
• Drafted a new Statistics Act
• Designed new organogram
• Re-assigned all staff into the new organogram
• Capacity building for all categories of
  staff/MDAs
• Improve quality and use of statistics
• Prepared manuals on standards, concepts,
  definitions, classifications
• Attempt to re-activate the National Advisory
  Committee of Producers and Users of Statistics
  (NACPUS)
• Source funding from Development Partners while
  dialoguing with Government for increased
  budgetary support
• Administrative sources of data targeted by
  resourcing statistics units of MDAs through the
  provision of equipment and training (eg Births
  and Deaths Registry to get 10 Mobile Registration
  Vans and Cross Country vehicles for monitoring
  their activities

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Role of Ghana Statistics Development Plan
(GSDP/NSDS)

• Facilitate Institutional Reform and
  Organizational Change
• Made possible by redrafting a new Statistics Act
  which is under consideration by Cabinet
• Enhancing capacity of GSS and MDA statistical
  units, improving statistical framework and
  investing in physical infrastructure and
  equipment
• Improving data production, management,
  dissemination, communication and outreach through
  modernisation of data collection procedures and
  ICT
• Ensuring quality assurance through monitoring and
  evaluation and User Satisfaction Surveys

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Impact of GSDP/NSDS in Ghana

• Full scale implementation starting in 2014 with
  10 Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Some
  positive impact have, however, been made.
• Donor Coordination
• Donors collaborated with stakeholders in the
  National Statistical System (NSS) to agree on the
  priorities for funding. Donors have, therefore,
  aligned better with national priorities
• Attraction of additional funding to statistics
• Appreciable amounts of resources have been
  received over the years from DPs for statistical
  activities (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, USAID, JICA,
  KOICA, DANIDA, DFATD (formerly CIDA), EU, DFID,
  ILO, etc (About 30. 4m from 2011-2014)
• Improved collaboration among stakeholders in the
  NSS
• Increased demand for GSS statistical products and
  services

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• Thank you for
• your attention!