Pauka Karafa

Despite its significance and many uses, the Price Statistics Division of NSO is not adequately funded and more often than not, the division and its mother agency, NSO, are left to produce quarterly CPI reports with limited resources.

Financial constraint is every government agency’s enemy.

While many may argue that financial constraint related challenges are not a new story, the determination of producing CPI reports quarterly to compensate for the 12 lost years is nothing short of a challenge.

The workshop, attended by 22 price collectors from all provinces across the country, is aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of these collectors to help the National Statistics Office compile the Consumer Price Index.

The role of the price collectors is important, explained Pauka Karafa, Manager of Price Statistics.

He said the data they collect is used to present to the National Government the prices of goods and clearly indicates whether there is an increase or decrease in prices.