The Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) was established by an Act enacted by the National Transitional Legislative Assembly and approved by the Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) on July 22, 2004. The Act is known as “The Liberian Code of Laws Revised, As Amended, By Adding Thereto A New Chapter 50A., and as indicated in Section 50A.
The Institute was created in July 2005 by spinning off the Statistical Department of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs. The staff and other resources of the Department including the Deputy Minister were transferred to the LISGIS.
GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POWERS, FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Goals: The goals of LISGIS shall be to:
1. Establish, develop and maintain a holistic National Statistical and Spatial Data System (NSSDS) and an integrated National Statistical and Spatial Database (NSSD); and
2. Coordinate, monitor and supervise the NSSDS and NSSD to allow for the provision of holistic gender and geographic sensitive analysis for timely, relevant and acceptable standards of information to institutions of the Government, the business and the wider national and international communities.
Objectives: The objectives of LISGIS shall be to:
1. Serve as the prime, authoritative agency of Government responsible for collecting, managing, coordinating, supervising, evaluating, analyzing, disseminating and setting quality standards for statistical and associated geo-information for overall national socio-economic reconstruction and development; and responsibilities: 2. Coordinate, monitor and supervise the NSSDS and NSSD to allow for the provision of holistic gender and geographic sensitive analysis for timely, relevant and acceptable standards of information to institutions of the Government, the business and the wider national and international communities.
Objectives: The objectives of LISGIS shall be to:
1. Serve as the prime, authoritative agency of Government responsible for collecting, managing, coordinating, supervising, evaluating, analyzing, disseminating and setting quality standards for statistical and associated geo-information for overall national socio-economic reconstruction and development; and
2. More specifically, formulate and implement national strategies, programs and policies for the development and management of a National Statistical and Geo-Information System and an integrated gender and environment sensitive National Statistical and Spatial Database in Liberia.
Powers: In furtherance of its goals and objectives the Institute shall have the powers to:
1. Request, demand and collect from any Person(s), natural or legal Corporations, Business Houses, NGO’s/INGO’s, UN Agencies, EU, USAID, IMF, World Bank, etc., residing in the Republic, and from any Ministry, Bureau or Agency of the Government of the Republic, all information it may deem necessary to achieve its goals and objectives as set out in Sections 50A.5 and 50A.6 of the National Statistics and Geo-Information Act, and to effectively carry out its functions as outlined in Section 50A.8 of the National Statistics and Geo-Information Act; and in respect of any matter as set out in Annex 1 to this Act;
2. Process, analyze, store and disseminate the information obtained in item one above;
3. Seek financial and/or technical assistance from individuals, governments, the domestic and international communities and bi-lateral and multilateral institutions;
4. Maintain field offices and data collection capability in geographic administrations as justified by the volume of activities and with due regard to consideration of efficiency;
5. Develop the human resources needed to operate the National Statistical and Geo-Information System and the integrated National Statistical and Geo- Database;
6. Design, develop and review from time to time an appropriate Scheme of Service for all statisticians and geographers in the National Statistical System;
7. Collaborate and cooperate with sub-regional, regional and international producers and/or users of statistics;
8. Undertake and engage in any activities consistent with provisions of this Act and the laws of the Republic for the purpose of enhancing and promoting the goals and objectives of the Institute; and
9. Design and display a common seal, alter such seal at pleasure, and use it by causing it or a facsimile to be affixed or impressed or reproduced in any form or manner.
Functions and Responsibilities: LISGIS shall undertake the following functions and responsibilities:
1. Advise on all initiatives to collect data at all levels (locality/Village/Town, Clan, Districts, County, Regional and national) in the context of an integrated National Statistical and Geo-Information System;
2. Review instruments for data collection developed for such initiatives including GIS data and maps, census and survey designs, questionnaires and concepts, definitions and nomenclatures to be used in conducting the said censuses and surveys, as well as the costs of such operations;
3. Establish and manage, in collaboration with respective ministries, a National Master Sample Frame consisting of population census, enumeration areas, listing of households and a register of enterprises, as a key instrument for coordination of the National Statistical and Geo-Information System;
4. Ensure that all surveys of enterprises and households and/or individuals will draw their respective sample from the National Master Sample Frame;
5. Compile, update and publish a rolling National Integrated Program of Sample Surveys of Households and a National Integrated Program of Sample Surveys of Enterprises to be conducted by various components of the National Statistical and Geo-Information System;
6. Conduct censuses and surveys;
7. Collect routine administrative statistics;
8. Collect, analyze and disseminate social, economic, environmental and national accounts statistics of internationally acceptable standard as and when required;
9. Create, establish and manage the integrated National Statistical and Geo- Database;
10. Organize, maintain and ensure free access to a central depository of data, statistical reports, spatial information products such as maps and geo-referenced list, publications and documents from both within and outside the country;
11. Publish as its regular output a Monthly Statistical Bulletin, a Quarterly Statistical Digest, an Annual Statistical Abstract, an Annual Economic Survey and an Annual Statement of National Accounts as sources of official statistics on Liberia;
12. Design the scope and content and organize the time schedule for the release of publications in item (11) above and as detailed in Annex Two of this Act;
13. Submit the Annual Economic Surveys to the Legislature at least a fortnight before presentation of the annual Budget of Government to provide background to the Budget for informed decision- making;
14. Undertake research on and develop techniques and methods for production of statistics and Geo-Information Services:
15. Establish a unified statistical service within the Government by facilitating and ensuring the creation of a statistical capacity in sector ministries, geographic administrations and other components of the National Statistical and Geo-Information System;
16. Promote the use of appropriate information and communication technology (ITC) in statistical data and Geo-Information Services production process, dissemination and utilization;
17. Promote the understanding and use of official statistics and Geo-Data through information, education and communication (IEC) strategies (such as workshops, seminars, symposia, print and electronic media, etc,) to ensure popular participation and national ownership;
18. Promote and encourage the use of common and new concepts, methodologies, definitions, procedures, nomenclatures and standards, including geographic considerations and gender and development, in the collection, analysis and dissemination of statistical information, in order to ensure integration of the National Statistical System as well as an integrated National Statistical Database;
19. Accredit all professional statisticians desirous of undertaking any statistical research in the country;
20. Enforce the Scheme of Service and monitor its implementation as provided for in Section 50A. 7(6);
21. Support sectoral capacity to acquire, access, use and contribute to the National Statistical System and the integrated National Statistical Database;
22. Develop for approval by the Board a public access to information policy;
23. Notwithstanding legislation and regulations on national security, protect private citizens’ right to privacy;
24. Data produced by LISGIS should be provided free of charge to the Government of Liberia and its development partners. Provisions for cost of data products will be established to ensure cost-recovery; and
25. Perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the Board.
