The Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale, has urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt and implement the framework for the collection of data and statistics for better reform outcomes and improved governance.
He made the call during this year’s first Lunch Time Reform Seminar organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), with the theme, “The Contribution of Data and Statistics in Reforming the Public Sector” on Tuesday in Abuja.
Dr. Kale, represented by the Director, Information and Communication Technology Department, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Mr. Biyi Fafunmi, said that data is critical for public service reforms and that improved data use and sharing is central to achieving collective governance goals.
He said that the while the demand for evidence backed programs and measured outcomes is growing it is not likely to abate anytime soon.
He said, “Big data and new technological advancements mean there are increasing pressure for robust reform processes and users wants data and statistics on results and outcomes.”
Speaking earlier, the Director General, BPSR, Mr Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, pledged that the BPSR would continue to work with the MDAs in the area of collating and analysing primary data relating to public service reforms.
He said that the NBS have been very effective in releasing monthly, quarterly and annual data, and that it was the NBS data that alerted the nation of the emergence of economic recession, initially contested in some official quarters.
Arabi said, “’Despite these notable achievements, we are aware that NBS is facing numerous challenges not based only on the slow pace of statistical development at the subnational level of government but also on the continued apathy towards statistics and its importance, particularly by MDAs.”
He added that the topic was relevant and selected in view of the statutory role the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) plays in the area of gathering data and providing timely and accurate records for the purpose of economic planning and development.
