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National Accounts publications are clearly stated by name and logo of NBS, and in the case of joint publications, the part attributable to the data producing agency is identified.
1.2.4 Advance notice is given of major changes in methodology, source data, and statistical techniques.
• Users of statistics are made aware in advance of major changes in methodology, source data, and statistical techniques
Data users are normally well informed in advance about changes in methodologies, data sources and statistical techniques through website. Metadata reports are shared with users on the NBS website and during workshops or dissemination workshops of the national accounts statistics.
1.3 Ethical standards
1.3.1 Guidelines for staff behaviour are in place and are well known to the staff. • A clear set of ethical standards has been prepared
NBS has Staff Regulations and Codes of Ethics and Conducts that guide management and staff on ethical standards. Therefore, all NBS staff are provided with a copy of the service rule to inform them on ethical standards and vetting.
• Staff are made aware of the ethical standards.
NBS staff are made aware of the guiding rules and ethical standard provided under the Code of Ethics for Public Servant and they are periodically reminded on the guiding rules during all staff meeting and Workers Council meetings. New recruited staff are provided with induction course in order to understand public servant ethics. Management and discipline committee also assures ethical standards are observed by staff.
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- Methodological soundness
2.1 Concepts and definitions
2.1.1 The overall structure in terms of concepts and definitions follows internationally accepted standards, guidelines, or good practices.
• Concepts and definitions used to compile the statistical series are in broad conformity with guidelines outlined in the 2008 SNA. The National Accounts Statistics compilation adheres to the guidelines outlined in the 2008 System of National Accounts (SNA), EAC and other International guidelines when compiling the national accounts statistics. Additionally, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has developed guidelines on concepts and definitions for official statistics that are in line with the 2008 SNA, serving as a methodological reference for producing National Accounts statistics.
2.2 Scope
2.2.1 The scope is broadly consistent with internationally accepted standards, guidelines or good practices. • The scope of the national accounts statistics covers 2008 SNA accounts/aggregates The national accounts statistics cover the accounts and aggregates outlined in the 2008 SNA. The 2008 SNA tables and accounts that the Inter-Secretariat Working Group on National Accounts (ISWGNA) determined as minimum requirement and recommended for its implementation, are compiled on a regular basis and covered by the NA are as follows: i. Annual value added and GDP at current and constant prices by activity; ii. Annual GDP by type of expenditure at current and constant prices; iii. Annual GDP components at current prices by activity;
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iv. Quarterly value added and GDP at current and constant prices by activity;
• The delimitation of the constituent units of the economy is in accordance with the 2008 SNA. The constituent units of the economy are in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the 2008 SNA. Units of the economy as defined by the 2008 SNA includes territorial enclaves in the rest of the world, free zones/bonded warehouses/factories operated by offshore enterprises under customs control and workers who work part of the year in another country. Currently, such statistics on units of the economy are not covered due to a lack of reliable source of data.
• The production boundary is in accordance with the 2008 SNA. The production boundary such as own-account production of all goods for own final consumption research and development for market and on own account, output of goods for own-account fixed capital formation, mineral exploration, production of entertainment, literary, or artistic originals and production of computer software were done but not in full coverage. However, illegal output sold to willing buyers are not covered.
• The assets boundary is in accordance with the 2008 SNA. When compiling National Accounts statistics, the assets are covered in line with 2008 SNA including buildings, land, minerals, forests, machines and equipment, wild animals, financial assets etc.
2.3 Classification/sectorization
2.3.1 Classification/sectorization systems used are broadly consistent with internationally accepted standards, guidelines, or good practices • The classification and sectorization used in the compilation of national accounts are in broad conformity with internationally recommended systems. Different classification system, in accordance with the international recommendations, are used in compiling national accounts statistics to
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enhance comparability and reliability of economic statistics. The 2008
SNA is followed for classifying measures of economic activities.
Specifically, the National Accounts Statistics Department utilizes the
International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic
Activities Revision 4 (ISIC Rev. 4) to classify economic activities of
establishments and enterprises. While other institutions, such as the
Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), further disaggregate the ISIC levels
down to six digits, the National Accounts analysis operates at the four-
digit level, aligning with the prescribed disaggregation standards.
The Central Product Classification (CPC) and Classification of Products
by Activity (CPA) are used in National Accounts to categorize goods and
services produced in an economy and organize economic data related to
the production and consumption of goods and services.
The Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) is
used in National Accounts Statistics Department to classify household
consumption and expenditures. Furthermore, the Department also uses
the Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG) to classify
functions of the government.
2.4 Other quality management
2.4.1 Market prices are used to value flows and stocks
• The valuation rules used for recording flows and stocks are in
accordance with the 2008 SNA.
The valuation rules used for recording flows and stocks are full complied
with the 2008 SNA on:
i. Market output is valued preferably at basic prices.
ii. Output for own use is valued at equivalent market prices.
iii. If levied, sales and excise taxes are included in the valuation of
intermediate consumption.
iv. If value added taxes are in place, they are included in the
valuation of intermediate consumption, excluding the deductible
part of the value added taxes.
v. If applicable, the deductible part of the value added taxes is
excluded from the valuation of final uses.
vi. Information on insurance and freight for merchandise imports is
available.
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vii. Imports are reported at cost insurance and freight (c.i.f) and
exports reported at free on board (f.o.b) but during compilation
c.i.f are adjusted at f.o.b and therefore valued on f.o.b. basis.
Transactions in foreign currency are converted using the Annual
average exchange rates.
The absence of sufficient information regarding transfer prices results in
a failure to do the corrections when transfer prices are detected.
Moreover, in the presence of a system of multiple official exchange rates,
adjustments are not properly made as they relies on the Bank of Tanzania
(BOT) information.
2.4.2 Recording is done on an accrual basis
• The timing rules used for recording flows are in accordance with the 2008 SNA.
Transactions and flows are recorded on modified accrual basis as and work-in-progress is specifically used in construction and agriculture activity models. However, some government related transactions are not recorded on an accrual basis, such as taxes and subsidies on products.
2.4.3 Grossing/netting procedures are broadly consistent with internationally accepted standards, guidelines, or good practices
• The grossing/netting procedures are in accordance with the 2008 SNA.
Basically, all procedures for the computation of GDP and its allied aggregates are aligned with SNA 2008.
- Accuracy and Reliability
3.1 Source data
3.1.1 Source data are obtained from comprehensive data collection programs that take into account country-specific conditions.
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• The data collection programs employed to compile the national accounts statistics are adequate. Data used to compile national accounts statistics is obtained primarily from administrative sources which has some deficiencies in terms of coverage and reliability. Other source data are periodic censuses or surveys (household budget survey, etc.). The questionnaires for surveys conducted by NBS are reviewed in order to meet the national accounts (NA) requirements and more questions are added depending on the availability of funds.
National Accounts Department does not have full control of the data sources from MDAs and private institutions, although the Institutions are responsible to provide data to the NBS.
The coverage of financial sector is incomplete. Units engaged in microfinance, especially credit unions, are scarcely taken into account because the number is unknown and their accounting records are not available.
• Annual enterprise/establishment statistics are collected through a regular survey program Establishment surveys conducted based on Statistical Business Register (SBR) and Population Census are Annual Survey of Industrial Production (ASIP) and Annual Agriculture Sample Survey (AASS). Administered questionnaires take into account all variables needed by National Accounts Department. However, not all annual surveys are conducted as planned due to financial constraint.
This is well designed since UN standards for Survey process are followed (GSBPM). The sample design ensures the population is represented properly. Benchmark collections are conducted during rebasing while administrative data are used as supplementary.
There are no regular surveys which collect annual statistics from establishments. Establishment statistics is based on the census therefore, the National Accounts Department does not have a complete list of enterprises. Items concerning fixed assets, production, intermediate
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consumption, stocks, and employment lack detailed information for national accounts compilation and does not account for mergers and changeovers.
Due to the lack of regular and updated Statistical Business Register, census remains the only helpful source data. Detailed data are not sufficient in some of the systems.
• Household surveys are conducted on a regular basis.
Normally, the population and housing census sampling frame is used whereby scientific sampling techniques and multi-stage samples and stratification are used. Sampling techniques take care on geographic coverage.
Household Budget Survey (HBS) is conducted at least once in every five years, reference is HBS publications. Samples are refreshed in every new HBS survey. Diary is used for the whole year to cover seasonal variation. Administrative data are collected and used as supplementary information. All international standard as per UN standards for Survey process are followed (GSBPM).
• Comprehensive government finance statistics are available regularly.
Government Finance Statistics (GFS) covers budgetary funds and some of extra budgetary fund. Not all data can be obtained from the system in usable format.
• Comprehensive corporate sector data are available regularly for financial and non-financial corporations.
Non-financial public and private corporate sectors are not fully covered. • Data collections based on administrative data sources are adequate.
Administrative data are sometimes inconsistent and not adequate
• When annual surveys do not exist, periodic (two to five years)
surveys/censuses are conducted.
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Periodic (two to five years) surveys/census are conducted.
• Price statistics used to derive constant price estimates are adequate
UN standards for Survey process are followed (GSBPM), though some prices including producer price indices are not available.
• Monthly/quarterly data are adequate for compiling reliable quarterly GDP.
Establishment based surveys done on quarterly basis e.g (Quarterly survey of Industrial production) collect adequate data required for compilation of quarterly GDP. Currently, quarterly GDP is not compiled by expenditure approach. This is expected to be done after the benchmarking and revision of National Accounts base year 2019. • Ad hoc surveys are conducted when needed to fill data gaps.
Trade and transport margins, Non-Profit Institutions Serving Households (NPISH), Service Survey are conducted during major revisions aimed at bridging existing data gaps. • The data collection programs are sufficiently open and allow for versatility to new developments in sources. The meetings with stakeholders are conducted to solicit their cooperation in collection of data and to take into account national accounts data issues. Consultation is done during stakeholders’ meetings and planning stages.
Press and research paper are in place but they are not monitored. International standards, guidelines, and practices are monitored.
3.1.2 Source data reasonably approximate the definitions, scope,
sectorization,
classifications, valuation, and time of recording required.
• Source data approximate the definitions, scope, classifications, valuation, and time of recording required.