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publish, or otherwise make available to any individual or organization, information that would enable the identification of any individual person or entity.
NBS is using consent form in surveys and other statistical inquiries whereby respondents are informed of their rights and obligations with regard to the provision of information, and that the information they provide will be used for the purpose of producing statistics.
• Procedures are in place to prevent disclosure of individual reporters’ data.
Any person other than NBS staff who is employed in the execution of any duty relating to statistical production under statistics Act are obliged to sign an oath of secrecy for the confidentiality of the statistics collected as stipulated in section 14. Penalties for disclosure of information are also insisted in the Statistical Act Cap 351 under section 43.
NBS also takes all necessary steps to ensure the security and confidentiality of official statistics are kept in accordance with the provision of the Act. Documentation for statistical products is always done in a secure manner. Information is only disseminated in an aggregated manner through Statistical releases and/or on the NBS website.
0.1.4 Statistical reporting is ensured through legal mandate and/or measures to encourage response
• A law or other formal provision provides for the reporting of information needed to compile the statistic.
The Statistics Act Cap 351 and its regulations specifies how data and information should be collected to ensure adherence to statistical reporting. National and international frameworks to follow during data collection has been explained in the NBS Strategic Plan.
• Other mechanisms are in place to provide for adequate reporting of data for compiling the statistics During the data collection design, the burden placed on respondents is considered and measures are taken to reduce this burden. NBS policies
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and practices emphasize the requirement for the authorized person (interviewers) to clearly explain the purposes of the survey/census to the respondent during the introduction. In this explanation, respondents are asked if they are willingly to participate and be informed on the duration of the interview.
Data collection forms or questionnaire indicates contact persons who can provide assistance in responding, as well as information on how to complete the questionnaire and explanations for answering the questions.
Also, every questionnaire contains legally required information on the purpose, type, and scope of the survey, obligation to provide information, reporting unit, confidentiality, and other aspects of the survey. In particular, a reference to the Statistics Act is given in surveys and statistical inquiries (section 31).
NBS provides information on the results of the national accounts products to the respondents upon request and in conformity with established statistical confidentiality guidelines.
0.2 Resources
0.2.1 Staff, facilities, computing resources, and financing are commensurate with statistical programs
• Staff resources for compiling the statistics are adequate to perform required tasks
National Accounts Statistics department comprising a total of 10 staff (eight (8) with masters’ degree in statistics and two (2) with degree in statistics and economics). The staff also have the requisite training in the compilation of national accounts statistics from reputable institutions such as IMF, MEFMI (Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa) World Bank and EAC. They all have the required and sufficient computing skills.
Salary levels depend on the Government salary scale and are adequate for the nature of the work and competitive with public administration conditions in the country. The Staff are motivated by providing incentives..
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For the purposes of monitoring and evaluation, staffs are appraised weekly, monthly, semi-annually and annually through the Public Employee Performance Management Information System (PEPMIS) based on prior agreed targets that are derived from the work plan. All staff are recruited on the basis of professional qualifications, and in an open competition.
• Computing resources for compiling the statistics are adequate to perform required tasks.
The National Accounts Statistics department has sufficient computing resources that are available to all the staff and back-up procedures are utilized by Information, Technology and Data Management (ITDM) Department to ensure security of data.
• Physical facilities and other resources are adequate to perform required tasks.
NBS headquarter office building located in Dodoma and Regional Offices provide adequate working facilities such as lighting and cooling. Office furniture and equipment are adequate to perform the tasks. The transportation arrangements for data collection and other activities are provided by issuing vehicles but for outside Dodoma the transport allowance is provided to data collectors.
• Funding for compiling the statistics is adequate to perform required tasks
Funds for the National Accounts Statistics are provided by the Government through Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) although the budget is usually tight, work plans are developed in consideration of resources availability and cost benefit analysis to maximize on outputs and outcomes. It is difficult to implement some of activities such as annual supply and use table (SUT) due to insufficient funds to support data collection and analysis.
0.2.2 Measures to ensure efficient use of resources are implemented
• Management ensures that resources are used efficiently.
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Management ensures compilation of National Accounts and related activities are carried out and reviewed on the basis of the annual performance plan and efficient use of resources is monitored and evaluated on a quarterly basis by the department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. The staff performances are monitored by Department of Administration and Human Resources at NBS level and the President's Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance at Government level whereby staff are given merits for promotion.
• Costing and budgeting practices are in place and provide sufficient information to management to make appropriate decisions.
NBS activities are guided by the Strategic Plan. An annual schedule of activities is then drawn from the NBS Business Plan. The annual work plan includes itemized budget which guide the timing of the activities as well as optimization of resources.
0.3 Relevance
0.3.1 The relevance and practical utility of existing statistics in meeting users’ needs are monitored
• Specific actions are taken to ensure that current statistics meet needs of data users.
The System of National Accounts Statistics (2008 SNA) and other agreed guidelines are used to compile national accounts statistics which adheres to the national and international standards. In addition, the National Accounts Statistics Department conducts ad-hoc user-producer meetings through which user needs are identified and plans for further developments shared.
Views of users of official statistics are also collected through emails, letters, telephone calls and office visits. Ad-hoc and periodic user satisfaction surveys are also conducted. NBS also organizes for dissemination workshops where participants are allowed to ask questions or make comments regarding official statistics and such feedback is used to enrich NBS understanding of users’ needs.
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Commemoration of African Statistics Day is also used to disseminate
NBS statistics products.
NBS is implementing the National Accounts Statistics Revision policy
which provide general rules and information regarding the possible
causes of revisions, typology of revisions and documentation supporting
the revisions.
https://www.nbs.go.tz/uploads/documents/en-1707147937-
National%20Accounts%20%20Statistics%20Revision%20Policy.pdf
• Mechanisms are in place to identify new and emerging data requirements
User producer meetings which include MDAs, academia, the press, and/or private sector are conducted with MDA’s and other principal data users, including academia, the press, and/or other private sector representatives, to review the usefulness of existing National Accounts statistics and to identify emerging data requirements.
Staff participate regularly in the meeting, seminars and training organized by international and regional organizations for capacity building and discuss on the emerging data requirement. The international and regional organizations that support NBS in Capacity building include IMF, World Bank, Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI), and East African Community (EAC).
0.4 Other quality management
0.4.1 Processes are in place to focus on quality
• There is recognition throughout the organization that quality builds trust and thus is a cornerstone of statistical work
NBS management always emphasizes on quality of statistics produced by the National Accounts Department following the recommended and agreed international standards. In the NBS organization structure there is a Directorate responsible for quality management. To ensure quality statistics produced by NBS, the standard menu is provided in the website (www.nbs.go.tz). Several quality guidelines for production of quality statistics are posted in this menu. There is a handbook of quality
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guidelines for production of statistics, Statistical Methods and Standard guidelines, Concept and definitions for official statistics. https://www.nbs.go.tz/publications/statistical-guidelines
NBS and OCGS are in the process of preparing the Customized Tanzania Quality Assurance Framework (TQAF) for management of Official Statistics and Manual for Strengthening and Integrating Administrative data in the Tanzania National Statistical System. Both documents are prepared with objective of ensuring quality of official statistics.
The training programs that emphasize the importance of quality and give staff an understanding on how quality may be achieved are conducted at least once per year.
0.4.2 Processes are in place to monitor quality during the planning and implementation of the statistical program
Production of quality statistics to meet the demands of stakeholders in a
timely manner is insisted in the NBS strategic plan and Tanzania
Statistical Master Plan (I and II). Monitoring and Evaluation of NBS
activities is conducted on quarterly basis.
National Accounts statistics department uses Regional (EAC) and
International (UN, IMF) guideline in ensuring standard and quality
statistics are produced. Moreover, strategies are in place for improving
data production for compilation of National Accounts Statistics and
periodic reviews are undertaken to identify steps necessary to maintain
quality requirements.
- Assurance of Integrity
1.1 Institutional Integrity
1.1.1 Statistics are produced on an impartial basis • The terms or conditions under which the statistics are produced are in accordance with professional independence
The Statistics Act Cap 351 Section 9(1) gives the power to the President to appoint a Statistician General on the recommendation of Minister of Finance. Section 5 of the Act stated that the Bureau shall excise professional independence in the collection, processing, analysing and dissemination of official statistics so as to enhance and protect the integrity and impartiality.
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• Professionalism is actively promoted and supported within the organization
Staff are recruited and promoted based on PEPMIS and scheme of services.
The organization provides comprehensive training to staff to increase their skills and knowledge based on their professions as stated in Training Need Assessment, TSMP II Training Program and NBS training programs.
The concept notes that contain the reasons forwarded for conducting any survey is developed, reviewed and approved. These notes are updated to maintain NBS professionalism.
1.1.2 Choice of data sources and statistical techniques as well as decisions about dissemination are informed solely by statistical considerations • The choices of data sources and statistical techniques are informed solely by statistical considerations
The choice of statistical sources for the national accounts statistics is based on their availability, reliability, and consistency with the concepts and definitions of the 2008 SNA. National Accounts Statistics Department uses data from multiple sources including census (Agriculture census, Population Census, Census of Industrial Production), surveys (Household Budget Survey, ILFS) and administrative data. Moreover, studies are conducted during major revisions to bridge existing data gaps.
• Decisions about dissemination are informed solely by statistical considerations.
NBS use release calendar to inform the public about the planned time for dissemination of GDP and its allied aggregates. However, annual GDP is released by the Minister for Finance during the release of the State of the Economy to the Parliament. Quarterly GDP publications are released to the media and the NBS website.
1.1.3 The appropriate statistical entity is entitled to comment on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics.
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• The data-producing agency comments when its statistics are misinterpreted or misused
NBS provides clarification on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics produced through medias and NBS website.
The released national accounts statistics are accompanied by key definitions and concepts for better understanding by users. Identified actions help to reduce misinterpretation or misuse of the data. Awareness on how to report and interpret national accounts estimates to media personnel and other users is conducted.
1.2 Transparency
1.2.1 The terms and conditions under which statistics are collected, processed, and disseminated are available to the public
• Information is available to the public about the terms and conditions under which the statistical series are compiled and disseminated, including the obligation to compile and disseminate the statistics, the confidentiality of individual reporters’ data, and other key features.
The statistical Act Cap 351 section 18 -20 and section 31 explains about
the terms of which statistics are collected, processed and disseminated.
NBS takes all necessary steps to ensure confidentiality of the official
statistics.
1.2.2 Internal governmental access to statistics prior to their release is publicly identified
• The public is made aware of internal government access to statistics prior to their release to the public.
The national accounts statistics is not released to any governmental organization prior to dissemination. The compilation of national accounts statistics once completed, is disseminated on the same day and time to all users.
1.2.3 Products of statistical agencies/units are clearly identified as such.
• Statistical products are clearly identified so that the public is aware of what the data producing agency takes responsibility for.