Determined to end the occasional disparities in official statistics being supplied the public by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, the Federal Government today constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee on harmonisation of data collection and evaluation for the country.
Giving the hint through a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Oluyinka Akintunde, today, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said that the Committee has the Statistician General of the Federation and Director-General of National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Dr. Yemi Kale, as chairman.
She stated that the Committee would serve as the clearing house and focal authority for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government for data collection, authentication and publication.
Specifically, the minister clarified further that the Committee would also ensure that national standards for data collection, evaluation and publication as well as regularly provide guidance to all MDAs and other stakeholders engaged in data collection, analysis and publication for policy formulation, implementation and monitoring.
“The establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee has become imperative to develop the production of national statistics and avoid data production duplication,” the Minister stated.
According to her, the inter-ministerial committee is also expected to submit half-yearly reports to the Minister of Finance for necessary briefing of the President.
Members of the Committee include, the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Idris Ahmed; Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Ms. Patience Oniha; Director-General of Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Ben Akabueze; and representatives of the Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, Labour and Productivity, Education, Communication Technology.
Others are, representatives of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Department of Petroleum Resources, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, National Population Commission, Nigerian Police, and Nigerian Governors Forum.
