Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has warned that inaccurate data poses a serious threat to effective service delivery and national development.
Speaking at Uganda Christian University (UCU) during African Statistics Day celebrations on Friday, Ms Lydia Namono, Head of Outreach and Quality Assurance at UBOS, emphasised that incorrect data leads to poor planning, misguided policies, and ineffective interventions in key sectors.
“Your wrong data is no data,” Namono said. “Wrong data is like a blind man unable to guide decisions.”
Ms Namono explained that incorrect information results in programs that fail to meet community needs, wasting public resources and misguiding national priorities.
“Providing wrong information misguides the country,” she noted. “Correct data is essential for accurate and effective policy, planning, and development.”
This year’s theme highlights data’s role in promoting a just, peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous society, particularly in national security and peace-building.
Vincent Kisenyi, Dean of Students at UCU, underscored statistics’ importance in decision-making, saying data-driven planning improves decisions shaping society.
However, Kisenyi expressed concern that some leaders ignore or manipulate data for selfish interests.
“It is a great challenge that some leaders do not use credible data to make decisions,” he said. “This undermines progress and credibility in governance.”
Daphine Ayebare, representing the Uganda Judicial Officers Association, commended UBOS for organising the symposium, saying data is crucial for governance and judicial transformation.
“Data is no longer an accessory in governance – it is a necessity,” Ayebare said. “For the justice sector, data and statistics are central to judicial transformation, efficiency, access to justice, and public trust.”
The African Statistics Day symposium, scheduled for November 18, aims to raise awareness about quality data’s importance in promoting a just and prosperous African society.