Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, has solicited the support of all stakeholders for the development of a robust, globally standardized and credible national statistical system as a strategic step towards ensuring data-driven planning and policy measures for Nigeria’s sustainable socio-economic development.
The governor gave the charge in his Opening Address delivered at the National Consultative Committee on Statistics’ (NCCS’) meeting which opened on Thursday in Kano, Kano State.
While commending the NCCS, the coordinating body for the Nigerian statistical system, particularly for unifying all statistical systems agencies in the country, the governor pointed out that statistical production required some levels of coordination to ensure consistency as well as eliminate unnecessary duplication of efforts.
Noting that there are daunting responsibilities and challenges facing the NCCS in the performance of its crucial task, Ganduje stressed that planning and policy formulation can only be effective when statistics is promoted as a tool for development planning and evidence-based policy making.
The governor further explained that it was for this reason that the present democratic government placed high premium on Statistical Information as an ingredient for effective planning and implementation of its policies and programmes.
Ganduje said: “As you are all aware, one of the main concerns of Government’s economic programmes is meeting the 17 No SDGs goals in Nigeria through your timely coordination. To make this happen, Government will want to have at its finger tips the milestones on each of 169 targets and 232 key performance indicators in Nigeria.
“In the same vein, to address the situation in the country, there must be reliable and timely indicators on major sectors of the economy such as Agriculture, Education, Manufacturing, Mines and Power, Health, Transport, to mention but a few. This, I must mention, is at the center of the ‘Change Agenda’ of the current Government which we are determined to achieve.
“Accordingly, arrangements are on top gear to reposition and strengthen the State Bureau of Statistics (SBS) in my State to enable it cope with the challenges ahead. In this regard, I am happy to inform you that Kano State has a well-established Bureau of Statistics backed by law. The State Government is determined to provide the Bureau with all the required support to enable it function effectively and efficiently”, he stressed.
Ganduje maintained that as a matter of policy, the Kano State Government was determined to ensure the production of accurate, timely and reliable statistical information that would serve as a guide for good governance.
Specifically, the governor advocated a paradigm shift in the way and manner government business is conducted if we must achieve meaningful development and solicited the cooperation and assistance of Federal Government institutions in data and information sharing.
