Statistics are crucial to economic, social development, says Agba

●NBS is independent and data released reliable- Statistician-General

Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, has stated that statistics are crucial to the economic and social development of any country.

He spoke on the heels of a keynote address by the Statistician-General of the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Prince S. A. Adeniran, who stated that the NBS was independent and data released by it were always reliable

In his opening remarks in Abuja, Friday, at the 2022 African Statistical Day in Nigeria, Agba said statistics always generated public debate which contributed to the progress of nations.

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According to him, statistics were necessary for forming government policies and programmes, building globally-competitive businesses, academic research, developing innovative technologies and products, making investment decisions, and building the economic and social environment for future generations which make them undeniably crucial to daily existence.

Responding to the Statistician-General’s averment in his keynote that the Ministers in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning always gave the NBS the latitude to release its data, Agba said it was not in the place of the ministers (including himself) to kinder government image.

He said if the statistics showed that there were problems, :we have to release the results as they are so that the appropriate authorities can sit up and address the identified problems.”

He said it would be wrong “for us to insist on changing the numbers. If we do that, it means that we do not want the problems to be solved.”

The theme for this year’s celebration, entitled: “Strengthening Data Systems by modernizing the production and use of agricultural statistics: Informing policies with a view to improving resilience in agriculture, nutrition and food security in Africa,” according to him, was very relevant to the current situation in the country, particularly when considered against some of the figures from the Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey results launched on Thursday.

“This year’s celebration of African Statistics Day comes at a time that the global community is challenged from the effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine, making it imperative for governments on the continent to be properly informed to take adequate measures to cushion the impact of the conflict, especially as it has to do with improving resilience in agriculture, nutrition and food security.

“There is no doubt therefore that the theme for this year’s celebration was well thought out, particularly, as there is currently the need to produce high quality economic statistics for Africa’s regional and economic transformation, in addition to the need for achieving the targets set by the United Nations through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and by the African Union in Agenda 2063 – “The Africa we want,” the minister said.

He disclosed that reliable and timely agricultural data provided governments with the right information they needed to make well-informed decisions in business and policy within the entire agricultural value chain.

“With the sector accounting for around 25 percent of our economy and employing more than 50 percent of the population, directly and indirectly, the need for sound agriculture related information cannot be stressed enough. Such data will improve nutrition and food security by informing government’s policies and strategies to combat poverty in those dimensions. Statistics compiled using modern methods and Innovative technologies is undoubtedly the right way to go if we as a country and indeed the continent of Africa are to achieve all our lofty developmental plans and strategies.

“I am glad that the National Bureau of Statistics is taking on this challenge of using the right modern methods to produce the right agricultural data the country needs, and the government will continue to provide the required support,” he maintained.

He said the lecture should focus on the need to develop and institutionalise best practices in the collection and production of agricultural data in Nigeria.

He stated further: “We need to also focus on developing the right capacity on how to apply the data objectively and effectively, all with a view to enhancing the nutrition levels and guaranteeing food security for Nigeria and Africa at large.

“Considerable progress has been made in building and strengthening the capacity of African statistical systems but much still remains to be done. Too many African countries operate under severe financial and human resource constraints. To meet the data challenges of the sustainable development goals in Africa, national statistical systems must be properly financed, the development of statistical skills and expertise must be supported, and access to new tools and technology must be provided. Also, support must be provided not just for the collection of data, but for the benefit of its transformation into useful and actionable information. Above all, a true data revolution that puts useful and useable information into the hands of everyone who needs it, especially the poor and the marginalised, must be pursued.

“On our part, as the supervising minister and actors in the public policy space, we will redouble our effort and see that we do all that is possible to support NBS and the Nigerian Statistical System to continue to innovate and produce more information that informs government, businesses, research communities and the public.

“In doing so, we will be playing our role in building a future that ensures that no one is left behind, and food security, guaranteed for all our citizens.”

The minister also, on the occasion, inaugurated the Poverty Dashboard Situation Room, which is a data hub of poverty and welfare information, where members of the public can access to gain more knowledge and understanding of how poverty measurements are done and how the data can be applied in practice.