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GBOS launches 2015/2016 IHS summary findings

May 18, 2017, 12:42 PM | Article By: Fatou B. Cham and Cherno Omar Bobb

The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS), with support from government and developed partners, Friday launched the Integrated Household Survey Summary Findings at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, the UN country resident coordinator and UNDP representative, Ade Mamanyone Lekoetze, said after five years, the current findings could not have come at a better time than now when the country is finalising its medium-term national development plan.

The findings would not only be important for the new government to set targets but would provide solid baseline information to measure future progress and also serve as a good report card for performance in the implementation of MDG’s, she said.

It will also form a useful baseline for the SDG’s and the new administration of The Gambia, she added.

She continued saying the survey findings provide useful data for the new Barrow Government which, when used, would lead to more people centered on development processes for greater impact in their journey to SDG one by 2030.

Lamin O. Camara, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, said the findings of the 2015/2016 Integrated Household Survey would guide the government and its development partners in formulating strategies to address development challenges in line with the heightened expectations of the population under the new dispensation.

 “It is the first major household survey that is being finalised after the approval of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators as well as the AU Agenda 2063. These are both international frameworks to which The Gambia has subscribed and therefore, the results from this survey will help the Government of The Gambia to finalise the national development,” he said.

Mr Camara further said for the first time, poverty data analysis was done beyond national and regional level which provides better data for disaggregated planning and evaluation.

“The Key HIS findings indicated that poverty increased from 48.1% in 2015,” he added.