The project aims to develop a national statistical system that effectively and efficiently delivers reliable and timely statistics in accordance with international standards and best practices.(1) Institutional Development and Legal Reform. This component will support a comprehensive organizational restructuring of the NBS and Office of Chief Government Statistician (OCGS). Key elements are improvements in management and administration practices, including financial management, human resource management and communications and the development of Management Information Systems and tools that bind together HR management, financial management and a catalogue of statistical products, services and activities in an integrated system of strategic planning, execution, M&E and reporting. Existing statistics legislation will be revised to give the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) more professional and technical independence and to strengthen the accountability of official statistics producers. The legal reform will change the status of NBS from an Executive Government Agency under the Ministry of Finance to an Autonomous Public Office governed by an Executive Board of Directors. The changed status will also allow NBS to develop and implement a new staff scheme of service whereby staff compensation will rest more on a competitive, performance-based core salary and less on arbitrary allowances. This has been identified as a prerequisite for any lasting improvements in HR management.(2) Human Resource Capacity Development. Activities will be the development of a human resources management strategy, implementation of new job profiles and salary scales for NBS and OCGS, implementation of a new career structure and a performance management system that provides rewards and incentives for good performance, improvement of management skills for statisticians and others with managerial responsibility, and improvement of skills of staff responsible for budgeting and procurement. A professional statistical training program will be developed and implemented for statistical staff, utilizing local universities and training centers.(3) Development of Statistical Infrastructure. The project will invest in the Central Register of Establishments and enterprises (CRE); the National Master Sampling frame for household-based censuses and sample surveys; a compendium of concepts, definitions, and methodologies for application in statistical data collections and analysis; a spatial Geographical Information System (GIS) for providing maps for survey field work and for providing the basis for dissemination of geographically-disaggregated and referenced statistical data; and national classifications of economic and social statistics. (4) Data Development and Dissemination. This component focuses on improving the quality, use and timeliness of socio-economic data. The data sources of these data (either surveys or routine data systems) and user access to available socio-economic statistics using new technologies will be improved. To achieve this, the project will strengthen routine data collection, storage, compilation, statistical analysis, reporting and communication within the NSS; and improve (macro and micro) social and economic statistics within the NSS. It includes activities to improve the use of statistical data by policy-makers and other key users, and to develop and implement a data access and dissemination policy, consistent with relevant legislation and international best practice.(5) Physical Infrastructure and Equipment. The existing accommodation for both NBS and OCGS offices are dilapidated and extremely cramped, and severely constrain the ability of staff to perform their duties effectively. New office buildings will be constructed for NBS and OCGS; the NBS building will aim to accommodate 200 staff and the new OCGS head office is planned to accommodate 80 staff. Both buildings will contain a computer centre, conference and training rooms and library facilities.