Africa's statistical tragedy: best statistics, best government effectiveness

Kodila-Tedika, Oasis (2012): Africa's statistical tragedy: best statistics, best government effectiveness.

Abstract

We analyze the effect of statistical capacity on government effectiveness/efficiency using cross-sectional and panel data from a sample of 48 African countries for the period 2003-2008. The results show that statistical capacity positively affects government effectiveness/efficiency. The positive effect of statistical capacity is robust after controlling for other determinants of institutional quality and usage of alternative estimation techniques. It follows that countries with higher statistical capacity levels enjoy institutions of better quality than countries with low levels of statistical capacity. As a policy implication, if Africa does not have effective governments, it is partly because it has a very weak statistical capacity. In such an environment, access to information for effective governance is compromised.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Sub-Saharan Africa, Institution, Statistical Capacity, Information, Government effectiveness
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D7 - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making > D73 - Bureaucracy ; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations ; Corruption; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C4 - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics > C43 - Index Numbers and Aggregation; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O17 - Formal and Informal Sectors ; Shadow Economy ; Institutional Arrangements; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O15 - Human Resources ; Human Development ; Income Distribution ; Migration; P - Economic Systems > P4 - Other Economic Systems > P48 - Political Economy ; Legal Institutions ; Property Rights ; Natural Resources ; Energy ; Environment ; Regional Studies; D - Microeconomics > D8 - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty; N - Economic History > N1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics ; Industrial Structure ; Growth ; Fluctuations > N17 - Africa ; Oceania

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