41 information within the confines of an institution while External data sharing extends beyond the institution’s boundaries to include partners, clients, suppliers, and regulatory bodies. Given its nature, external data sharing is subject to stricter regulatory compliance and security measures, necessitating robust protocols to protect sensitive information and maintain trust between the organization and its external stakeholders. 4.6.2 Key features to consider during data sharing i) Compliance requirements Institution should maintain data privacy and compliance with regulatory requirements. As agency, sharing of data with external partners or stakeholders, they must navigate complex privacy laws and regulations governing the collection, storage, and sharing of personal or sensitive information. ii) Ensuring data security With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, ensuring data security both during transmission and when stored, has taken centre stage. Institution must ensure safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential leaks. Implementing robust encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems is paramount, but these measures also come with costs and require constant updating in the face of evolving threats. iii) Maintaining data privacy Privacy concerns, the organization should be adhering to data protection regulations while ensuring they don’t infringe upon user privacy. iv) Managing data volume The volume of data generated today poses storage, transmission, and processing challenges. Deciding what data is essential for sharing, ensuring timely data transfer, and making sense of vast datasets require advanced storage solutions, efficient data pipelines, and powerful analytics tools. v) Ensuring data accuracy and integrity Sharing inaccurate or corrupted data can have dire consequences, especially when it informs critical business decisions. Establishing rigorous data validation and
42
cleansing processes is crucial, but it also demands resources and introduces
potential bottlenecks in data flow.
vi) Addressing trust concerns
Sharing data, especially with external partners, requires a foundation of trust.
Concerns about data misuse, intellectual property theft, or gaining a competitive
edge can inhibit data-sharing initiatives. Building transparent data government and
clear terms of engagement are vital to fostering this trust.
4.6.3 Agreement between institutions
It is important to have formal agreements in place, which can take the form of MoUs
between the relevant institutions. These agreements can help ensure that the
collaboration is more institutionalized and less dependent on individuals, and clarify
the roles and responsibilities within a concrete time frame.
4.6.4 Characteristics of a successful MoU
i.
The institution must have appropriate policies and procedures in place to
support data sharing activities. Secondly, the working staff of the institution
should be supportive to the project’s goals, results oriented, experienced with
the data, and able to work cooperatively with people in their agency and the
partner agency.
ii.
There must be a mutual interest in order to reach a successful conclusion in a
way that data sharing arrangements must benefit among agencies.
iii.
The goals should be stated narrowly, down to the level of which particular
fields in a database will be shared between agencies; and being flexible as it
can change according to situation.
iv.
Cross-agency data sharing projects can require significant involvement by
agency leadership.
43
CHAPTER FIVE: COORDINATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
PRODUCTION
5.0 Levels of Coordination
In performing the coordination among other functions, the NBS and OCGS shall set
standard for data collection, analysis and publication of statistics to ensure uniformity
in quality, adequacy of coverage and reliability of statistical information; and promote
cooperation and rationalization among users and producers of statistics so as to
avoid duplication of efforts and ensure optimal utilization of scarce resources.
Coordination of production of administrative data is essential to strengthen the
production of quality of data, dissemination and use. The mandate of coordinating all
producers of administrative data and other official statistics was given to the NBS
and OCGS but within the NSS a coordination unit can be established and given the
following responsibilities
i. Coordinate and implement statistical programs and represent the organization
in national and international statistical meetings and bilateral and multilateral
consultations whenever necessary;
ii. Working systematically towards achieving national and international
agreements about common concepts, classifications, standards and methods;
iii. Coordinating technical cooperation and capacity building activities with
national and international partners to avoid duplication of effort and to
encourage complementarities and synergies;
iv. Establishing internal coordination mechanisms, which facilitate the discussion
of responsibilities, methodologies, concepts and common standards;
v. Ensuring official statistics cover all important subject;
vi. Enhancing the image of official statistics through branding and common
release; and
vii. Ensuring that the information needs are incorporated efficiently into the
national program to reduce the need for additional statistical surveys to be
carried out.
44
In addition, the Administrative Data Steering Committee consisting of the heads of
administrative data producing agencies and data users that meets regularly can be
formulated to provide guidance on the production of administrative data in the
respective NSS. The flexibility of such a steering committee is essential, and
therefore detail functional and governance modalities should not be ruled in a legal
text. Apart from Steering committee, the Technical Working Group who will be the
champions in ensuring production of administrative data should be established.
5.1 Financing Administrative Statistics Production
The budgetary provisions may affect the process for budget allocation to the NSS
producing administrative data. The unit responsible for production of statistics within
NSS should be directly involved in the planning and budgetary process. The
production of administrative data should be considered in the organization strategic
plan and budget allocation within the NSS in every financial year.
However, implementation of administrative data system may be supported through
extra budget which comes in the form of development. This budget, unlike the usual
recurrent budget, aims at investment activities such as human resources capacity
building, procurement of equipment, designing and setting up information systems
and compliment the undertaking of periodic large national surveys.
5.2 Monitoring the use of the Manual
As part of their coordination role, NSOs should monitor on annual basis the use of
the manual to ensure that quality of the data collected adheres to the guidelines
provided. This will help produce high quality administrative data, leading to the
production of official statistical indicators. To achieve this, NSOs should:
i.
Prepare a quality assessment checklist to verify that the statistical production
processes follow the provided guidance;
ii.
Provide awareness training to NSS on the proper use of this manual
iii.
Utilize the TSMP II Sector Working Groups meetings through the planning,
monitoring, and evaluation unit to follow up on NSS statistical operations and
ensure adherence to the guidance.
Additionally, the coordination or planning unit within the NSS can conduct monitoring
to ensure the manual is used correctly.
45
ANNEXES
Annex 1
Key requirements for data sharing MoU
a. Legal basis.
Reference should be made to the legislation permitting access to the administrative
source for statistical purposes, and to any legislation that imposes restrictions on
such access.
b. Names of the persons transferring and receiving data.
The names and contact details of the key people involved in the supply of data in
both administrative and statistical organizations should be recorded.
c. Detailed description of data covered.
This will include information identifying the data set and the variables contained
within it.
d. Frequency of data supply.
This will specify when and how frequently the administrative organization will supply
the required data.
e. Quality standards.
These set the parameters for the quality of the data supplied. Examples include the
indication of a maximum acceptable proportion of missing or erroneous variables, to
ensure that the data received are fit for purpose.
f. Confidentiality rules.
It is important to expressly state the uses that may be made of the data, the rules
and procedures in place to prevent disclosure, and the circumstances in which the
data can be passed on to clients of the statistical organization.
g. Technical standards This dimension involves the following aspects:
i.
Provision of metadata: It is important that data flows be accompanied by the
relevant metadata, which may include definition, computation, units, dates,
and descriptions for any codes etc.
46
ii.
Provisions on payment for data supply: Data transfers between government
departments or agencies are generally free of charge, although in some
cases, the statistical organization may be required to contribute towards the
costs of extracting and transferring the data. Data from private-sector
organizations may be charged for at market rates, although it may be
possible to negotiate discounts, particularly if there are several users of a
private-sector data source within government. In some cases, it may be
possible to offer statistical analyses or expertise as a form of payment for the
data received.
iii.
Period of agreement. Agreements will normally be for a fixed period, but
should include provisions for renewal or extension if necessary.
iv.
Contingencies for changes in circumstances. It is important for the statistical
organization to receive advance warning of changes affecting the
administrative source. The agreement should specify that any proposed
changes are to be communicated to the statistical organization as soon as
possible, to allow the impact of the changes on statistical outputs to be
minimized.
v.
Procedure for resolving disputes. The agreement should specify the method
to be adopted in resolving any disputes that may arise between the statistical
and administrative organizations; these may envisage the involvement of
senior managers or possibly even relevant ministers.
h. Technical frameworks
The technical frameworks are the mechanisms by which data are transferred, as well
as any relevant data or metadata standards. The data transfer mechanism adopted
must take into account the technical possibilities available to both the sending and
the receiving organization.
47
Annex 2
Sample of MoU
No.
DATA SHARING AGREEMENT
1.
Organizations
This Data Sharing Agreement is entered between The
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)/ Office of the Chief
Government
Statistician
(OCGS)
and
……………………………
2.
Purpose
of
the
Agreement
This data sharing agreement between The National Bureau
of Statistics/ Office of the Chief Government Statistician
and ……………………………………is necessary to ensure
the
availability
of
data
necessary
to
create……………..indicators in ……………………………...
3.
Project Description
The ………………………is a joint effort between the
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Office of the Chief
Government Statistician (OCGS)…………………………
4.
Duration
of
Agreement
This Agreement commences on…………….., and will end
on……………., unless terminated/extended by mutual
agreement of both parties.
5.
Data
Custodian
responsibility
and
data stewardship
The ………………………will remain the primary owner of
the data. The National Bureau of Statistics will store this
data in a consolidated database that will house data from
other ministries, agencies, and departments (MDAs) whose
systems are also integrated into the …………
6.
Permissible data use,
linking and sharing
under this agreement
The National Bureau of Statistics/ Office of the Chief
Government Statistician has the mandate to communicate
official statistical information to the public. Therefore,
NBS/OCGS will only share public data.
7.
Timing
and
frequency
of
updates.
Depending on the frequency of collection and the process
from preparation to dissemination; The National Bureau of
Statistics/ Office of the Chief Government Statistician and
………………………will decide accordingly.
8.
Constraints on Use
of Data
Data supplied by the…………………..is the property of
the……………………..and shall not be shared with third
parties without the written permission of the…………………
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)/ Office of the
Chief Government Statistician (OCGS) shall not sell or
use, internally or externally, for any purpose not directly
related to the scope of work defined in this agreement
without
the
written
permission
of
the
…………………………………………..
9.
Indemnification
In the case of legal claims against any of the parties to the
agreement, normal legal rules and principles will apply. If
48 No. DATA SHARING AGREEMENT one party becomes aware of a claim against the other, they should inform the other party in a timely manner. 10. Termination and Modification This agreement may be modified if one or both parties request a modification in 90 days prior to modification or termination.
By the signatures of their duly authorized representative below, The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the …………………………………intending to be legally bound, agree to all the provisions of this Data Sharing Agreement.
For and on behalf of
The National Bureau of Statistics/
Office
of
the
Chief
Government
Statistician
Name: ______________________________
Signature:____________________________
Position:_____________________________
Date: ______________________
Place: ______________________
For and on behalf of
………………………………………………
Name:_____________________________
Signature:___________________________
Position:____________________________
Date: ______________________
Place: ______________________