The National Statistical Office (NSO) says understaffing currently at 50 percent is negatively affecting delivery of some of its operations.

Commissioner of Statistics Mercy Kanyuka disclosed this during this year’s African Statistics Day commemoration event in Zomba.

However, Kanyuka said despite the challenge, Malawi is well ahead of other African countries in the actual production and dissemination of statistical data for enhanced socio-economic development.

“We have embraced latest technology. We are now using tablets to capture data and we are also transmitting that data in real time to Statistics,” she said.

Kanyuka said financial support by government and development partners to the institution has been improving.

Zomba City Council Mayor Benson Bulla said statistical data from NSO is very key for councils in enhancing provision of services to residents.

“As a council we have some services to render to people so we cannot offer such services without knowing how many people we have in each ward and each area.”

The African Statistics Day is commemorated on December 18 every year to raise public awareness on the importance of statistics.