Invest more to Overcome Data Collection and Dissemination Challenges, urge Stakeholders

"It is evident that we neither spend much in data collection nor in dissemination hence the country and its people miss the opportunity to make informed decisions based on evidence" One participant said.

Apart from investing in data sector, participants said as a way forward for the Tanzania to get enough data there was urgent need to create synergies between government and private sector, and have joint platforms in data sharing, coordination and train more data scientists.

They decried inconsistence in collecting and managing administrative data which unlike surveys is cheaper and emphasized that “government must be smart in collecting and managing administrative data as it is an essential part of national data ecosystem”.

On data dissemination, participants noted that there is lack of motivation in analysis and interpretation of data as a result expert just throw data to users who find it very difficult to understand and make use of them.

According to Ms Rose Aiko a Data Ecosystem consultant from Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data thematic workshops are conducted to facilitate discussions on data and statistics availability and gaps for monitoring of the FYDP II, SDGs, Africa Agenda 2063, and AEC vision 2050.

She added that the workshops provide opportunity to participants to validate results of data gap assessment done to assist in implementation of SDGs and the results will provide inputs to the formulation of second Tanzania Statistical Master Plan (TSMPII).

Workshop participants come from government ministries, private sector, national and international NGOs, civil society, academic and research institutions, and bilateral and multilateral based in Tanzania.

Data gap assessment of SDGs and FYDPII was conducted by National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with Tanzania Data Lab (dLab) Project of the University of Dar es salaam, Partnership in Statistics for 21st Century (PARIS21) and Government ministries, Departments and Agencies.