NBS NEWS LETTER

ISSUE NO: 21 DATE: JANUARY, 2017

SDGS 2030: PROMOTE SUSTAINED, INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC

GROWTH, FULL AND PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND DECENT WORK FOR ALL
 Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

e-POPULATION REGISTRATION GOING ON WELL

An Enumerator (with a mobile phone) registering a household by using

the electronic Population Register System (e-PRS) in Bagamoyo District
recently.

The progress of registration of
population in Bagamoyo
District by using the electronic
Population Register System (e-
PRS) has been reported as
proceeding well.
Addressing the managements
of the National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS), Office of
Chief Government Statistician,
Zanzibar (OCGS) and UNICEF
in Bagamoyo District recently,
the Rector of the Eastern
Africa Statistical Training
Centre (EASTC), Prof.
Innocent Ngalinda, said the--
e-PRS was aimed at
creating and maintaining a
single source of
consolidated database
whereby before this
system, Tanzania was
using the normal
population register starting
2002.
The previous population
register system was not
effective enough. The well-
intended initiative failed to
survive, but until today the
physical registers are still
there though they are out-
dated. --
The few existing ones are
in paper form, that is why
the government has decided
to introduce the
electronic one, said Prof.
Ngalinda.
The few existing ones are
in paper form, that is why
the government has decided
to introduce the
electronic one, said Prof.
Ngalinda.
According to him, apart
from the e-PRS being used
as a guide or compass of --

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 Issue NO: 21
leading development in the
village, it will also help to get
the correct population figures
in the country, which is
important in planning
development of the people
economically and socially.
Prof. Ngalinda elaborated that
its main objective is to replace
the current system with one
that has more functionalities.
After its completion, it will
form as the national database
and hence prevent multiple
registrations.
Prof. Ngalinda insisted that
there were many advantages of
using this technological
innovation, but the most
important is that it provides
real time data for planning and
decision taking from the
grassroots to the national
levels. Above all, it is easy to
maintain and update the
information in relation to the
events that occurred in a
community.
The e-PRS is unique and
different from other registers as
it gives data in real time and
therefore guaranteeing access
of accurate, reliable and current
data for development planning,
policy formulation and
improvement, quality service
delivery,--
Date: JANUARY, 2017
monitoring and evaluating both Ward and Village Executive
national and international Officers as data collection of
frameworks, he said. specific data and working tool
for sustainability of the e-
These accurate and timely
PRS, she said.
statistics will enable the local
community, in cooperation with The electronic Population
their experts at ward level to plan, Register System has been
implement, monitor and evaluate supported by UNICEF and
development plans as well as UNFPA. It is through these
community services in their United Nations agencies that
localities. the system was developed;
training and field work have
For her part, the Director General
been possible. Meanwhile,
of NBS, Dr. Albina Chuwa,
UNFPA and WB have
added that the population register
expressed their commitment to
has an updating mechanism that
continue supporting such
allows to update information
efforts, especially in the sectors
from time to time as events
of education, health and open
The system has also been (aggregated) data.
designed as a working tool for --
Some Managements from National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS), Office of Chief Government Statistician,
Zanzibar (OCGS) and UNICEF paying attention to
EASTC rector Prof. Innocent Ngalinda (not in picture)
who was elaborating about the progress of e-PRS in
Bagamoyo District recently.
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 Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

TANZANIA'S ECONOMY GROWS AT 6.2 PERCENT IN THE THIRD

QUARTER OF 2016

Third Quarter GDP Percentage Growth for 2015 and 2016

TANZANIA'S Gross According to these findings, The findings revealed that

Domestic Product (GDP)
grew at the rate of 6.2 percent
in the third quarter (July
September) of 2016, which
was lower than 7.3 percent
recorded in the similar
quarter of 2015.
The findings show that, the
third Quarter GDP for 2016 at
the then current prices in
absolute terms was TZS 25.5
trillion compared to TZS 22.7
trillion recorded in the
corresponding quarter of
2015.
which were released by the
National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS) through its website,
the GDP at constant prices
for the third quarter of 2016
in absolute terms was TZS
11.6 trillion compared to
TZS. 10.8 trillion for the
similar quarter of 2015.
The sectors which grew at
higher rates were mining
and quarrying, water supply,
and information and
communications. Those that
grew at lower rates included
agriculture and real estate.
mining and quarrying
registered a growth rate of
19.9 percent in the third
quarter of 2016 compared to
8.0 percent recorded during a
similar quarter of 2015. Such
growth was attributed to an
increase in production of
Tanzanite, salt, natural gas,
gold, copper, silver and coal
production. Significant
production was also observed
in the natural gas products,
copper and salt.
The report indicates that the
period of July to September,
2016 the quantity of water--

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 Issue NO: 21
supplies increased to 67.4 million
cubic meters from 57.4 million
cubic meters recorded in the
similar quarter of 2015. The
activity increased at a rate of 14.5
percent in the third quarter of 2016
compared to a negative growth of
3.9 percent observed in the
corresponding quarter of 2015 in
which the growth was attributed to
improved water supply
infrastructure.
Information and communications
registered a growth rate of 14.3
percent in the third quarter of 2016
compared to 13.4 percent of
registered in the similar quarter of
2015. The increase in growth rate
was attributed to increase in
airtime usage and data--
Production of Selected Crops during the Third Quarter 2015 and
2016
transmission services provided
by telecommunication
companies and information
technology services provided
during the reference period.
Furthermore, the sector that
recorded the lowest growth rate
was agriculture which recorded
a rate of 0.3 percent compared
to a growth of 5.1 percent
recorded in the corresponding
quarter of 2015. The slow in
growth rate was caused by
unfavourable weather
conditions for agricultural
production experienced in
some areas during the period.
Date: JANUARY, 2017
The quarterly GDP is measured
as the value of goods and
services produced by residents in
three-month periods of January-
March, April-June, July-
September and October-
December.
The report indicates
that the period of July
to September, 2016 the
quantity of water
supplies increased to
67.4 million cubic
meters from 57.4
million cubic meters
recorded in the similar
quarter of 2015. The
activity increased at a
rate of 14.5 percent in
the third quarter of
2016 compared to a
negative growth of 3.9
percent observed in the
corresponding quarter
of 2015 in which the
growth was attributed
to improved water
supply infrastructure.
5
 Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

STATISTICIANS DISCUSSING ENVIRONMENT STATISTICS

NBS Director of Statistical Operations, Mr. Irenius Ruyobya addressing statistical

stakeholders who attended a three-day long workshop in Dar es Salaam to discuss
Environment Statistics in support of the implementation of the Framework for the
Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013).

STATISTICAL stakeholders project aimed at supporting of the National Bureau of

met in a three-day long
workshop in Dar es Salaam to
discuss Environment Statistics
in support of the implementation
of the Framework for the
Development of Environment
Statistics (FDES 2013).
The workshop is one of the
activities under the United
Nations Development Account--
member States in developing
and strengthening
environment statistics and
integrated environmental-
economic accounting for
improved and monitoring of
sustainable development.
In his opening remarks on
behalf of the Director
General
Statistics (NBS), the Director
of Statistical Operations of
NBS, Mr. Irenius Ruyobya,
said the workshop will enhance
the knowledge of participants
on the best recommended
principles and methodologies
in production and
dissemination of Environment
Statistics based on the FDES,
2013.

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 Issue NO: 21
The three-day long workshop will
enable all participants to
implement the Framework for
Development of Environment
Statistics (FDES), 2013 and use of
Environment Statistics Self
Assessment Tools (ESSAT) which
are based on the Basic Set of
Environment Statistics of the
FDES 2013.
I urge all of us to use the
opportunity to gain knowledge
which will be gained to identify the
pitfalls that can delay the progress
towards implementation of the
national and international
development programmes for
immediate policy interventions,
said Mr. Ruyobya.
Mr. Ruyobya said official statistics
in environment can help decision
makers to develop informed
policies that impact millions of
people; improved data sources,
sound statistical methods, new
technologies and strengthened
statistical systems enable better
decisions that eventually result in
better lives globally.
For her part, a representative from
the United Nations Statistics
Division, Ms. Reena Shah, said the
workshop was aimed at building
national capacities for the
implementation of the FDES 2013,
Date: JANUARY, 2017
Acting Environmental Statistics Manager, Ms. Ruth Minja
presenting the objectives of the meeting during a three-
day long workshop in Dar es Salaam to discuss
Environment Statistics in support of the implementation of
the Framework for the Development of Environment
Statistics (FDES 2013).
and to provide statisticians and Ms. Shah said the workshop
experts from ministries of would also discuss the
environment or equivalent development of a national
institution with detailed work plan on environment
knowledge and understanding statistics; and such efforts
of contemporary approaches to will contribute to the
environment statistics. strengthening of the
programme on environment
The workshop we held today statistics for the East African
will help to improve Community (EAC).
monitoring, and also to bring
together the various sectors in The workshop on
a unified and coordinated Environment Statistics in
statistical system. This is support of the implementation
particularly relevant in of the Framework for the
environment statistics, where Development of Environment
the data come from a variety of Statistics (FDES 2013) was
different sources, said Ms. held in Dar es Salaam for
Shah. three days from 24th 26th
January, 2017.
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 Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

NBS TO ESTABLISH SDGs DATA PORTAL

The Founder and Managing Director of Data Act Lab from Sweden, Ms.
Alexandra Silfverstolpe presenting on how to establish and run SGDs Data Portal
during a meeting with statistical stakeholders to introduce SDGs Data Portal in
Tanzania. The event took place in NBS Headquarter in January, 2017.

THE National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS) is in the
process of establishing a
Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) Data Portal in
Tanzania in order to simplify
access to SDGs
implementation information
in the country.
This was revealed by the
Director General of NBS, Dr.
Albina Chuwa, in a meeting
with statistical stakeholders--
who gathered at the NBS
Headquarters to discuss on
how statistics authority could
establish the data portal and its
development.
Dr. Chuwa said NBS will first
create awareness in public and
to data users on the SDGs
portal in order to enable them
to be aware of how SDGs
implementation was done in
the country.
We are in the process of
developing the SDGs Data
Portal in our country to
enable public and data users
to access reports and other
related programmes towards
SDGs implementation to
2030, said Dr. Chuwa.
Presenting on how to
establish and run SDGs Data
Portal, the founder and
managing director of Data
Act Lab from Sweden,--

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 Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

Some Statistical Stakeholders listening to Ms. Alexandra Silfverstolpe (not

in picture) during a meeting of introducing SDGs Data Portal in Tanzania.
The event took place in NBS Headquarter in January, 2017.

Ms. Alexandra Silfverstolpe, said Ms. Silfverstolpe said The SDGs data portal
the SDGs portal will enable Tanzania could learn from is one among the
statistical stakeholders and the Colombia which has already
public to access data and follow developed the portal and easiest ways for public
the implementation of SDGs in succeed to run it well. and statistical
Tanzania. stakeholders to access
Towards the data, see the
The SDGs data portal is one
among the easiest ways for
implementation of the implementation of
public and statistical data portal, NBS will SDGs, and get to know
stakeholders to access data, see have to review and how the country
the implementation of SDGs, and learn more from reached towards
get to know how the country accomplishing the
reached towards accomplishing Colombia which has
the implementation of SDGs by succeeded to establish implementation of
the end of 2030, said Ms. and run a similar tool. SDGs by the end of
Silfverstolpe. 2030, said Ms.
Silfverstolpe.

9
 Issue NO: 21
AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARGUED TO USE COUNTRY SPECIFIC
DEFINITIONS TO DETERMINE POVERTY LEVELS
AFRICAN experts have been
challenged to use country specific
definitions to determine poverty
levels in their countries instead of
using criteria that end up
confusing the citizens as their
findings dont match with reality
on the ground.
One such criteria is that of
measuring poverty levels by using
the $1.90 a day baseline, which
brings different results for each
country due to economic
variations.
The challenge was made by the
Minister of Finance and Planning,
Hon. Dr. Philip Mpango, when
addressing statisticians from
across Africa who attended in an
international workshop that
discussed the application of
statistics to poverty and how best
poverty levels in Africa can be
assessed.
Dr. Mpango argued that it was
high time African countries
applied criteria that are specific to
them so as to give a true picture of
the assessments.
Poverty is still a major problem--
Date: JANUARY, 2017
in most African countries. In
order to eradicate it,
collaboration and availability of
official statistics are needed.
You are here today as
professionals to discuss how
best to assess the poverty levels
in Africa by reflecting the
countrys resources and linking
it with 1.90 USD while at the
same time taking into
consideration how people earn a
living, including whether they
own land or not, said Dr.
Mpango.
According to the minister,
poverty levels fell to 4 percent
in 2013 among Sub-Saharan
Africa countries, whereby
approximately 389 million
people still live in poverty as
they survive under $1.90 a day.
Dr. Mpango quoted the 2011/12
Tanzania Household Budget
Survey that shows that poverty
levels in the country have fallen
from 38.6 percent in 1990 to
28.2 percent in 2012, whereby
the major problem remained the
lack of the basic human needs.
He further said, according to--
World Bank statistics of
2013, which 10.7 percent of
global populations, about 7.1
million people, were living
below the poverty as
compared to 12.4 percent of
people living in poverty in
2012.
For her part, Director General
of the National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS), Dr. Albina
Chuwa, said the aim of the
workshop was to discuss
better use of official statistics
of poverty levels in
eradication initiatives and the
ways of assessing poverty by
using countrys specific
resources.
She said NBS was in progress
to prepare the Households
Budget Survey (HBS) for
2017/18 in collaboration with
WB and the ongoing
workshop of statisticians will
help in best results of the
coming Tanzania HBS.
10
Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

JANUARY INFLATION RATE CLIMBS TO 5.2 PERCENT

Some Journalists who attended the press conference of Consumer Price

Index for January, 2017 at NBS headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

THE headline inflation rate
for January, 2017 increased to
5.2 percent from 5.0 percent
recorded a month before.
Addressing reporters in Dar es
Salaam when releasing the
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
for January 2017, the National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS)
Director of Population Census
and Social Statistics, Mr.
Ephraim Kwesigabo, said the
speed of price increase for--
commodities in January, s
increased compared to the
speed of price increase
recorded in December,
2016.
The CPI for January
increase was attributed to
the price increase of both
food and non food items.
Some food items that
contributed to such increase
were maize grains which
increased by 16.0 percent,--
maize flour by 10.0 percent,
rice by 2.6 percent, beans by
6.3 percent, cooking bananas
by 5.8 percent, cocoyam by
5.3 percent and sweet
potatoes by 2.5 percent, said
Mr. Kwesigabo.
He said non-food items that
contributed to such increase
were charcoal which
increased by 3.2 percent and
refrigerators by 2.4 percent.

11
 Issue NO: 21
Movement of National Consumer Price Indices (NCPI) and Inflation Rates from
January, 2016 January, 2017. (Dec, 2015 = 100)
Mr. Kwesigabo said the
monthly inflation rate for
January has increased by 0.8
percent compared to an increase
of 0.7 percent early while the
overall index has increased to
105.92 in January, 2017 from
105.04 recorded in December;
2016.
He added that, the inflation rate
for food consumed at home and
away from home rose to 8.2
percent in January from 7.4
percent recorded a month
earlier while the 12 month
index change for non-food
products decreased to 3.6
percent in January, 2017 as--
The inflation rate which
excludes food and energy for
the month of January decreased
to 2.3 percent from 2.5 percent
recorded in December while
the annual inflation rates over
the same period have shown a
stable trend of movement from
6.5 percent in January, 2016 to
5.2 percent in January, 2017.
The purchasing power of 100
Tanzanian Shillings has
reached TZS 94 and 42 cents in
January, 2017 compared to
TZS 95 and 20 cents in
December, 2016.
Date: JANUARY, 2017
The CPI for January
increase was attributed to
the price increase of both
food and non food items.
Some food items that
contributed to such
increase were maize grains
which increased by 16.0
percent, maize flour by
10.0 percent, rice by 2.6
percent, beans by 6.3
percent, cooking bananas
by 5.8 percent, cocoyam by
5.3 percent and sweet
potatoes by 2.5 percent,
said Mr. Kwesigabo.
12
 Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

OBITUARY
The late
Donat
Magwaja
during his
lifetime.
He was
NBS staff
since 1987.
He passed
away in
January,
2017.

The late Donat Magwaja

THE National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS) in January joined the family
of Donat Magwaja in mourning his
passing away at his Tabata
residence in Dar es Salaam.
During his lifetime and service at
NBS, Magwaja was a staff driver.
He started working with NBS in
1987 and continued in the same
department until his death.
Reading a brief history of his life
during the Requiem Mass, one of
the relatives said Magwaja was
born on 23 December, 1956 in
Ifakara, Morogoro Region.
He attended primary education at
Kivukoni Primary School in
Ifakara, Morogoro Region.
In his working life, he
worked with four parastatals
at different times. He first
worked with the Dar es
Salaam City Council, from
1974 to 1975, before he
joined with the Shirika la
Usafiri Dar es Salaam
(UDA), which is a public
transport firm in the city,
between 1975 and 1984.
He then joined with the Dar
es Salaam Institute of
Technology (DIT) in 1984
where he worked until 1987.
Magwaja is survived by nine
children and a wife.
The Requiem Mass was held at
the Christ the King Tabata
Roman Catholic Church in the
city.
Speaking on behalf of NBS
management and staff, Mr.
William Mabusi expressed the
deepest condolences, adding
that Magwaja will be missed a
lot among his fellow workers
because he was a man of the
people, charming, hardworking
and one who respected all
without segregation. He said it
would be very difficult to fill
the gap he left behind.
May the soul of Donat Magwaja
rest in eternal peace. Amen.

13
Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

NBS PICTORIAL NEWS

The representative from the United Nations Statistics Division, Ms. Reena Shah
addressing statistical stakeholders during a three-day long workshop in Dar es
Salaam to discuss Environment Statistics in support of the implementation of the
Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013).

Some
Statistical
Stakeholders
who attended
a meeting of
introducing
SDGs Data
Portal in
Tanzania. The
event took
place in NBS
Headquarter
in January,
2017.

14
Issue NO: 21 Date: JANUARY, 2017

NBS PICTORIAL NEWS

Enumerators
(with mobile
phones)
registering
pupils by using
the electronic
Population
Register System
(e-PRS) in
Bagamoyo
District recently.

Enumerators
(with mobile
phones)
showing some
NBS staff how
they register
people by
using the
electronic
Population
Register
System (e-PRS)
in Bagamoyo
District
recently.

15
For comments and suggestions please contact: - Director
General: National Bureau of Statistics 18 Kivukoni Road P.
O. Box 796, 11992 Dar es Salaam Tel. +255 22 2122722/4
Fax: +255 22 2130852 E-mail: dg@nbs.go.tz, Website
www.nbs.go.tz