Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba has called on statisticians in the country to speed up the adoption of digital technology for statistical purposes.
Agba said that just like the Covid-19 pandemic challenge which made the world to think outside the box, statisticians in the country have to come up with digital technology to ensure the production of reliable data and statistics which are critical to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
He said the swift pace of technological developments should not only facilitate the rapid collection of data but should also lead to more effective management of data, adding policymakers and statisticians today need to be at the forefront of the advances in statistics to identify new linkages and risks in order to calibrate effective policy responses in governance.
“It is generally agreed that the value of statistics depends upon their quality. I am happy to note that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has continued to enjoy the confidence of the government and the international community because of the quality of the leadership of the bureau,” the Minister said on Thursday at the 45th annual conference of the Nigerian Statistical Association at the New Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The conference dealt extensively on the consequences of the country’s security challenges on the national statistical system.
While declaring the conference open, the Minister noted that the topic was apt considering that security is a major issue in the world today.
“Security challenges in any environment constitute a threat to lives and properties, hinders business activities, discourages local and foreign investors and retards socio-economic development of a country. There is no doubt that security is the pillar upon which every meaningful development in any nation is sustained. However, there is no nation in the world without a security challenge, but the type of insecurity experienced among the nations and the way it is confronted differs,” he noted.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the heads of the various security agencies for the renewed efforts at ensuring that peace is restored to hitherto security-challenged areas of the country.
He said he was convinced that ideas, knowledge and insights in statistics garnered during the meeting will contribute to driving the statistical system for a better future for the country.
Prince Agba commended the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeniran Adeyemi for his exceptional commitment and dedication as well as his distinguished service, in his leadership of the NBS. “Within a very short time as the SG, he has demonstrated the will to continue to advance the frontiers of excellence that the NBS has come to be known for,” he said.
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