The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Executive Director, Dr. Chris N. Mukiza, on Friday launched the “ED’s Round Table”, a platform that will be used as an exclusively interacting centre for an excellent performing team.
The avenue will provide a platform to recognise the best-performing teams and individuals and also share experiences, thereby promoting best practices.
The Chief Statistician, who was flanked by his Members of Management, cited three key principles, emphasising the power of focus, how a storm makes a good sailor and never compromising professionalism.
“Every end of the race is the beginning of another,” he said, drawing the attention of the team towards the bigger task ahead, the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census 2024.
While conveying his message of appreciation, the Executive Director quoted the former United States President, John F. Kennedy who once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them”.
He echoed his message during his address to staff at the recent Annual General Meeting held on 24th August 2023 when he promised to extend his good gesture to the best-performing team and individual staff.
“Extend our gratitude to the technical team of demography headed by Dr Vincent Fred Ssenono, who was represented by his staff,” he emphasised.
The Deputy Executive Director, Mr Godfrey Nabongo, noted that with the efforts and vision of the Executive Director focussed on strengthening the independence of Statistical production, the Bureau has set itself apart as the centre for benchmarking in the production of Demographic and Health Surveys.
The Director of Population and Social Statistics, Ms Hellen Nviiri, thanked the Chief Statistician for having confidence and trust in them.
“This alone was a great motivation to the team to ensure that work was completed in record time,” she said.
The Coordinator UDHS, Mr. Stephen Baryahirwa who also Heads the Department of Social Surveys and Censuses, noted that it was a whole team participation and time sacrifice that the Bureau managed to produce the 7th UDHS key findings, noting that it was a highly demanded set of indicators that needed to be disseminated.
The inauguration of ED’s Round Table comes at a time when the Bureau successfully launched the 7th Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2022 Key Findings on Thursday last week.
The launch of the 7th UDHS 2022 key findings was graced by Hon. Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development, who applauded UBOS for always delivering the required statistics in real-time. He particularly noted the consistency that the Bureau has often times disseminated regular indicators in a timely manner.
The Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, who was the guest of honour in her closing remarks, thanked the Bureau for developing statistical independence by ensuring that the institution boasts of the technical capacity to undertake such a high-level survey with befitting international standards.
The launch of UDHS key findings attracted various players from government ministries, departments and agencies, the UN family, USAID, the academia, and the Civil Society Organisations.