Don advises policy makers to key into statistics strategy

A Don, Sarah Anyanwu, has advised the policy makers to key into the newly launched National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS II), to achieve integrated data system.

Anyanwu, the Head of Economics Department, University of Abuja, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

NAN recalls that the NSDS II was launched on Dec. 14 by the Statistician-General, Yemi Kale.

It was designed to provide mechanisms for a holistic reform of the Nigeria Statistical System (NSS) which would ensure integrated and united data production system.

She said that there was need for the Presidency, State Governments, National Assembly, the Governor’s Forum and Commissioners to key into this strategy, because the stakeholders needed statistics to move Nigeria forward.

“We cannot continue to plan without facts and figures. There is need to support statistical production, dissemination and access.

“All the stakeholders of statistics, producers, users and suppliers of data should collaborate to move the country forward in terms of statistics.’’

According to her, there is need to professionalise statistics and implement common statistical services.

The university teacher said that there was need to implement the services whereby the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) would send statisticians to various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“It is just like the Office of Accountant- General which normally send accountants out to various Accounting Units in MDAs. The same thing should be done by the NBS.

“We need it so that heads of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) are either Statisticians or in related courses like Economics or Computer Science. There is need for professionalism,’’ she said.

Anyanwu said that there was need to establish Statistical Trust Fund for funding statistics activities in the country.

She said that government alone could not fund the activities.

According to the professor, other corporate bodies need to support in terms of funding statistical production, development, data management and development and data dissemination.

“Again, at the state level, some of the states do not have their own bureaux of statistics; some do not even have Statistical Edict. So, the state governments will have to come into all these areas.

“With all these efforts, we will have effective implementation of the NSDS II and Sector Statistical Strategy lunched recently.

“All the documents will help Nigeria to move forward, as we have in developed countries, in terms of statistical production and dissemination,’’ the professor said.

NAN reports that the NSDS II is intended to cover the entire National Statistical System, bringing together all agencies involved in data production across three tiers of government.

It attempts to integrate the Statistical Strategies and Master Plans for the national and sub-national governments.

It will also help to address strategic issues, including Development of NSDS implementation and Financing Plan and Action Plan from 2017-2021.

The NSDS II will also provide an opportunity to further strengthen the National Statistical System and closing the gaps that still exist from the National Statistical Master Plan (NSMP) and most recent version of NSDS.