The Executive Director, Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Dr. Chris Mukiza, has said that innovation is a necessity to ensure timely data availability, accuracy, and quality in informing planning, policy formulation, and evidence-based decision-making.
While addressing stakeholders in Kampala on Monday, Dr. Mukiza said: “the threefold impact of these ingredients, supported by reliable statistics” are “pivotal for socio-economic transformation, fostering progress in the right direction and benefitting citizens through government programs.”
Dr. Mukiza said statistics are a mirror that allows “us to glimpse into the future and reflect on the past.”
“This monitoring and evaluation role, backed by evidence, forms the backbone of credible discussions and sound debates,” added Dr. Mukiza.
His remarks comes as UBOS prepares to hold a week-long celebration, kicking off activities leading to the Africa Statistics Day on November 18, 2023.
The week serves as an opportunity to enhance statistical awareness, promoting data utilization and strengthening the statistical profession in the country.
“Stakeholders are encouraged to appreciate the value of quality data and challenge data production processes in the face of evolving technological trends,” Dr. Mukiza said.
Keynote speaker, Marcella Karekye, the Director Government Citizen and Information Centre (GCIC), challenged UBOS to make statistics more appealing to the broader audience.
GCIC’s Marcella Karekye delivering a keynote speech ahead of Statistics Day
She stressed the need to communicate not just the results, but also the methods and ways of thinking behind the statistical data.
This, according to Karekye, is a key aspect of striving for effective communication in the realm of statistics.
“By prioritizing significance, understandability, and relevance in the dissemination of statistical information, there is a collective effort to empower the public with the tools to interpret and appreciate the vital role of statistics in shaping our understanding of the world,” said Karekye
