Water For Justice

STATISTICS DAY COMMEORATION MORE RELEVANT - KHETHISA

Acting Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, says focusing on African Statistics Day 2008 could not be more important now when the escalation of food prices and reports of food crises threaten economic growth.

Speaking at the occasion to mark Statistics Day in Maseru on Tuesday, Mr Mosito Khethisa, said the theme 'Challenges of Rising Food Prices and Agricultural Development in Africa', attempts to highlight the role of statistics in addressing the challenges of rising food prices and agricultural development.

Mr Khethisa, said the situation further impacts on prospects for meeting development goals and other sectoral development programmes, set out nationally and regionally in wealth creation and poverty reduction.

The Acting principal Secretary, however, said understanding of effects of enviromental changes on agriculture needs concerted efforts at national and regional level to harness the potential of the agricultural sector for national development.

The Bureau of Statistics (BOS) Director, Mrs. Liengoane Lefosa, said the day is marked to raise awareness of governments, international agencies, and the community at large on the importance of statistics in the nation’s progress and development.

She said, 'Absence of reliable, up-to-date statistical information in African countries limits the application of practical development strategies on the continent hence the celebration.'

Mrs. Lefosa, further stated that The Lesotho BOS improve year by year as they now have a website, adding that they also have a 'Lesotho-Dev Info', which she said is an advanced database management system to keep track of the commitments towards human development.

She also said the government, with support from the United Nations Country Team has developed this database for dissemination and monitoring of the achievements of the Poverty Reduction Strategy, National Vision 2020 and Lesotho National development goals indicators.

Others include, national Millennium Development Goals and United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

The African Statistics Day (ASD) is a yearly advocacy tool aimed at raising awareness of the importance of Statistics in the economic and social development of Africa.

Celebrated every year on November 18, the event was initiated by a former Subsidiary Body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Joint African Conference of Planners, Statisticians, and Demographers.

Meanwhile, the main event for this year's statistics day in the country will be at Ha Sekake in the Qacha's nek district this Friday, where activities such as planting of trees for environmental protection will be carried out.