NAN-HE- 19
Statistics
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) Malam Basheer Ibraheem , Statistician- General, Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics has called on Nigerians to embrace the use of data for planning and developmental purposes.
Ibraheem made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja at a road show, organised by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA).
The road show which started from the NBS, Central Business District Area ended at the NTA headquarters, Area II was part of the activities to mark the 2016 African Statistics Day.
Ibraheem said that statistics were the only viable tool for economic growth and development.
“If you don’t have data, you will not know the trend of activities that is taking place so statistics should be embraced both at the government and public level.
“The present administration has come through change; we should embrace statistics and support statisticians so that data provided by them can be used for effective planning and developmental goals.
“The only way to make a great change in Nigeria is to use statistics; if we use it, there will be a lot of transparency and accountability in the system,’’ he said.
The statistician general, however, told NAN that the office had achieved a lot in the collection and dissemination of data in 2016.
He said that the office had conducted General Household Survey, Annual School Census and Energy Survey.
“ We have also conducted Gross Domestic Product Survey for the first time in the history of Kaduna.
“I am happy to let you know that Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State has been using statistics to do most of his planning and developmental projects,’’ Ibraheem said.
NAN reports that a public lecture on the theme of the celebration will hold on Friday at the NBS headquarters.
The theme of the celebration is “Strengthening Economic Statistics for Regional Integration, Structural Transformation and Sustainable Development’’.
NAN also reports that the African Statistics Day Celebration is an offshoot of the meeting of Ministers responsible for planning in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia held in 1990.
The meeting set aside Nov.18, of every year as a special day for statistics and promoting awareness about the important role it plays in the development of the society. (NAN)
CIA/MO
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Edited by Morayo Omolade