National Statistician Mr. Alfred Mokae yesterday formally signed his employment contract at Government House in Port Moresby.
It marked an important milestone in his leadership of Papua New Guinea’s National Statistical Office (NSO) while reinforcing the Government’s commitment to strengthening official statistics and the national statistical system.
Mr. Mokae said the formalisation of his employment provides a clear mandate to continue implementing an ambitious programme of reform, modernisation and institutional strengthening within the NSO.
“I am honoured to formally sign my employment contract and to continue serving Papua New Guinea as National Statistician.”
“I regard this not simply as a personal milestone, but as a commitment to the Government and, most importantly, to the people of Papua New Guinea to deliver a stronger, modern and trusted national statistical institution.”
He said reliable, timely and quality statistics are essential for effective government decision-making, evidence-based policy development, national planning, budgeting, investment and monitoring of development outcomes.
Mr. Mokae said his priority is to transform the NSO into a modern, digitally enabled, professional and service-oriented statistical institution capable of responding to the growing demand for timely and high-quality data.
The reform agenda will focus on:
• strengthening the legislative and institutional framework for official statistics;
• modernising NSO systems, processes and statistical infrastructure;
• accelerating the digitalisation of surveys, censuses and statistical production;
• improving the quality, timeliness and accessibility of official statistics;
• strengthening economic statistics, including GDP, national accounts and price statistics;
• improving the use of administrative data and strengthening the National Statistical System;
• building staff capability through targeted training, professional development and improved technical systems;
• strengthening data governance, integrity, confidentiality and public trust; and,
• improving the efficiency and effectiveness of NSO operations.
Mr. Mokae said the 2030 National Population and Housing Census will be a major priority, with preparations focused on modern digital systems, improved field operations and ensuring that all communities, including those in remote and hard-to-reach areas, are properly represented.
“Our objective is to ensure that every Papua New Guinean counts and that no community is left behind in our national statistics. The 2030 Census provides an opportunity to demonstrate what a modern, digitally enabled national statistical system can achieve.”
Mr. Mokae also emphasised the importance of improving the frequency and timeliness of economic statistics to support national economic management.
The NSO will continue strengthening national accounts and economic statistics, including work towards more frequent GDP estimates, improved business surveys and enhanced integration of administrative and survey data.
“Papua New Guinea needs statistics that keep pace with the economy. We must strengthen our capacity to provide timely information on economic activity, prices, employment, households and businesses so that Government and other users can make informed decisions.”
Mr. Mokae acknowledged the support of the Government, development partners, international statistical agencies, the private sector, academia and other stakeholders in strengthening Papua New Guinea’s statistical system.
He said successful reform will require a whole-of-government and whole-of-country approach.
“The NSO cannot deliver this transformation alone. We need strong partnerships across Government, the private sector, development partners, academia and our communities. Statistics are a national asset and strengthening the statistical system is a shared responsibility.”
Mr. Mokae also recognised the contribution of NSO staff and said institutional reform must be accompanied by investment in people, systems and the working environment.
“Our staff are at the centre of this transformation. We must invest in their skills, professionalism, welfare and working environment while holding ourselves to the highest standards of integrity and performance.”
The National Statistician said the signing of his employment contract at Government House represents a renewed commitment to service, reform and delivery.
“I accept this responsibility with humility and determination. My commitment is to lead the NSO through a period of meaningful reform and modernisation and to build an institution that is professional, innovative, independent, responsive and trusted by the people of Papua New Guinea.”
He said the ultimate measure of success will be the NSO’s ability to provide trusted, timely and relevant statistics that improve the lives of Papua New Guineans and support the country’s development aspirations.
“Statistics must serve the nation. Our responsibility is to ensure that the information we produce is trusted, accessible and useful to every level of decision-making. This is the NSO we are committed to building.”