The Government has launched the e-governance statistical data portal which will increase access to quality data for managing and monitoring development results around Africa including tracking of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

This was launched in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Its main function is to provide a platform for sharing statistical data on developmental programmes and was installed as a result of AfDB’s desire to step up statistical support to African countries in line with the priorities in its strategic for the period 2013 to 2022.

Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said during the launch in Lusaka yesterday that the data portal had been installed at three key ministries namely Finance, Labour and Transport and Communications and at the Bank of Zambia offices (BoZ).

Mr Mukanga said the data portal would provide ideal administrative instruments for making real-time disaggregated data for effective planning and decentralised policy management, fundamental to Government’s mission of reducing poverty and boosting economic growth.

“As the Minister responsible for the management of infrastructure development programmes that the Government embarked on and invested heavily, I believe the development and installation of the data portals is cardinal to monitoring progress on various projects and programmes,” Mr Mukanga said.

It was a cross-beneficiary platform which would benefit academic and research institutions, Government ministries, private sector agencies, financial and economic institutions among many others.

AfDB principal country economist Peter Ramsmussen who hailed Zambia for installing the data portal said the development would improve the quality of data system management in the country.

An economist from the Ministry of Finance Mulele Mulele said the data portal would enhance and promote transparency on the operations of the ministry.

Mr Mulele said there was need for continuous capacity building in the management of the data portals.

He said installing the data portal would address challenges faced by the ministry such as the shortage and utilisation of economic data.