UNFPA donates equipment to Statistics

By Zainab Kanu

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative, Madam Ratidzai Ndlovu, this past Friday, donated information technology equipment worth sixty-three thousand United States Dollars (US$63,000)to Statistics Sierra Leone (SSL) at a ceremony at their A.J. Momoh Street Office in Freetown.

In her statement, Madam Ndlova said the donation was meant to support the Statistics Sierra Leone in capacity building towards the international strategy for the development of statistics programme.

She noted that the donation was in line with UNFPA’s continued commitment and support to the Government of Sierra Leone in the area of data collection for development planning.

She explained that the computers will contribute to the SSL’s capacity in data collection and management at both national and district levels, noting that it will also help to enhance them to preposition themselves for the next demographic health survey in 2013 and 2014.

Madam Ndlovu maintained that UNFPA believes in result-based management and sound data that are measurable, and commended SSL for the progress they have achieved in recent times particularly in upholding integrity, dedication and honesty in the discharge of their functions.

She promised that they will continue to provide technical support and programme support to SSL. In his statement, the acting Statistician General Mr. Mohamed King Koroma,  expressed thanks and appreciation to UNFPA for their continued support, while recalling that they have always remained a strong pillar to SSL in the area of capacity building and technical support.

He said the national data based management information system was also supported by UNFPA, which has also provided the training of Measurement and Evaluation Officers of Local Councils and SSL statisticians across the country.

He described Madam Ratidzai as a strong woman who has brought about a lot of support to them.

In his statement, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Sankoh, commended UNFPA for the continued support.

He stated that when Doctors make mistakes only one person suffers but when statisticians make mistakes an entire nation suffers.

In his remarks, the Administrative Manager, Mr. Ahmed Saybom Kanu, stated that UNFPA is one of their strongest pillars, adding that their presence in some of their activities has helped the programmes to be successful.

The donation included 12 computers and accessories (printers, UPS, monitors), 11 external hard drives, 500 GB (Seagate), 124 GB memory sticks, 2404.7 GB blank re-writable CDS, Dell T350 precision west mere standard based desktop servers, and a 4520HPPS design jet plotter.

The UNFPA representative commended DFID for their support in securing some of the equipment for SSL.

In closing the ceremony, Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny, UNFPA Component Manager SSL and Director of Geographic Information System (GIS), expressed thanked UNFPA’s for its continued support to SSL.

He said the GPS server will help them coordinate surveys conducted by councils to be monitored by SSL.