Use of computers on statistical services in Africa

Abstract

It has been noted that almost all African countries have computers to process statistics. The problems which have been raised both as concerns the location of the computer in relation to the statistics-producing organ and the specifications of the computers, which at times are no longer in line with the requirements of the new tasks to be handledj mean that solutions have to be adopted which are adapted to the conditions in each country* It should be stressed in this regard that at the level of each State a national computer science commission should be established with the responsibility of defining the national policy in this key field and co-ordinating the activities of the various services concerned. It would be helpful ift when the acquisition of a computer is being considered for example account was taken of what is being done or what will be done within other services so as to ensure that the equipment used by the administration is as far as possible compatible