NBS wants govt at all levels to adopt socio-economic statistics to meet SGD targets

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says adoption and usage of its varied socio-economic statistics by government at all levels will assist the country meet targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr Kabiru Nakaura, the Chairman, NBS Governing Board said this at the opening of a two-day meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics (NCCS) in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.

The meeting which was coordinated by the NBS, was attended by State Statisticians- General from across the federation.

Nakaura commended the commitment of members of the committee in pursuant of the NCCS mandate.

He said the meeting was quite desirable considering the need for a sustainable statistical development in the country.

Nakaura said that the importance of the committee which was inaugurated by the Federal Government in 2017, in the development of the country’s statistical system could not be underscored.

Nakaura noted that the world was in an era where statistics and information technology made planning much easier from the sub national to the national level of government.

This, he said, was the reason the NBS was determined to ensure a holistic transformation in the country’s statistical system.

According to her, the NBS places high premium on the installation of basic infrastructure that will enhance the production of reliable, accurate and timely statistical information for the formulation of policies and execution, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes.

“In this respect, it is obvious that for Nigeria to achieve the SDGs, one of the objectives of the present administration should be to pay adequate attention to the production and usage of statistics,’’ he said.

He added that on its part, the NBS had put in place numerous statistical programmes aimed at supporting government’s policy direction.

“There is no doubt that the statistical system in Nigeria has the responsibility of addressing the statistical requirements of the SDGs.

“This informed why the NBS in collaboration with the Office of Special Assistant to the President on SDGs has developed SDGs Data Bond,’’ he said.

He explained that the bond was to commit relevant stakeholders within the country’s statistical system into providing the datasets expected of them.

Nakaura thanked the Federal Government for the partnership with development partners which had resulted in deepening the development of statistics in the country.

He said the NBS would reciprocate the gesture by ensuring sustained production of quality and robust statistics for the country.

The State Statisticians-General at the meeting signed a bond to commit to ensuring quality statistics across the country.

Alhaji Usman Liman who spoke on behalf of State Statisticians- General pledged loyalty to the NBS and called for capacity development for state statisticians to improve their operations.

He also stressed the need for an effective synergy between the NBS and state statisticians, saying that developing the national level without taking states into consideration was antithetical.

The NCCS is responsible for ensuring effective coordination among data generating agencies in the country.

It is also expected to facilitate the usage and application of uniform standards, methodology, definition, concepts and organisation structure in the production of comparable, reliable, consistent and non- conflicting statistics