Statisticians, Drivers Of National Development – Fubara

The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described statisticians as the custodians of data and critical drivers of national economic development.

He stated this while declaring open the two-day bi-annual meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics (NCCS), with the theme “Harnessing the Power of Statistics for Nigeria’s Sustainable Development and Economic Transformation.”

According to the Governor, statistics provide the empirical foundation upon which sound policies are formulated, thereby enabling governments to identify development gaps, allocate resources efficiently, measure progress, and assess impact.

For a country like Nigeria, which is characterized by a large population and diverse socio-economic realities, he stated that the effective use of statistics is indispensable to achieving inclusive growth, reducing poverty, and driving economic transformation.

The Governor, who was represented by the State Head of Service, Dr. Inyingi S. I. Brown, reiterated the state government’s commitment to data-driven governance.

She disclosed that Rivers State is deliberately aligning with the statistical agenda of the Federal Government to access and utilize accurate data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

She also affirmed the state’s readiness to collaborate on capacity-building initiatives and reforms aimed at strengthening the statistical system at both state and national levels.

The Governor also assured that processes for the appointment of a Statistician-General for Rivers State would commence in the near future.

He encouraged delegates to explore the scenic environment of the state and experience its rich cultural heritage and cuisine during their stay.

Earlier, the Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, explained that the NCCS meeting is held bi-annually, with the first session of the year dedicated to setting a unified agenda for statisticians across the country.

This, he noted, promotes consistency in methodology and prevents misinterpretation of statistical data and concepts.

Prince Adeniran described statistics as the bedrock of national economic development and reaffirmed the NBS’s commitment to producing inclusive and unbiased data that reflects all segments of society, regardless of social, economic, or political status.

He used the occasion to appeal to the State Governor to domesticate the Act of the National Assembly establishing the Office of the Statistician-General of the State, to facilitate the formal appointment of a Statistician-General in Rivers State.

The meeting, which commenced yesterday, is scheduled to be concluded today.

• Godam is the Information and Public Relations officer, Office of the Head of Service.