FG/UNDP validate baseline report on SDGs

The Federal Government through its statistical agency, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and other stakeholders, has validated Baseline Study Report on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Yemi Kale, at the opening of two-day Validation Workshop on Monday in Abuja, said the process was key to monitoring and reporting the SDGs.

Kale, represented by Edwin Efidi, Director, Macro Statistics, NBS said that the validation of the indicators was a useful first step in ensuring that the country had a complete set of baseline indicators.

He said it was a useful step to ensure the country had complete baseline indicators produced in a reliable and sustainable manner from well-established data sources.

“It is therefore appropriate that we have the full commitment and input from all stakeholders, so that we in the statistical system can reliably go to sleep with the knowledge.

“We can go to sleep with the knowledge that we have provided policy makers with the necessary data and statistics required for them to do the work effectively.

“Your contributions, however small, will be significant to the final output, so do not hold back.

“This is just the first step in the long monitoring process of the SDGs.

“It is a significant step and we must all be committed to seeing this process through to the end because of what is at stake for us all and our children.’’

Kale said that the workshop should be the one to get the process of authenticating the draft numbers, data sources, collection processes and computation processes in the report.

According to him, NBS is the first statistical system on the continent to formally commission a data collection exercise, specifically dedicated to collate and report on SDGs indicators.

Earlier, Patricia Eweama, Head of Department, Demographic and Social Statistics, NBS, said it was imperative for the stakeholders to validate the report.

Eweama said that one of the major problems identified in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was lack of data for measurement of progress.

She said there was obvious non-availability of baseline data resulting in controversies as to whether the implementation of the MDGs was successful or not.

“To redress this, the NBS embarked on extensive data collection, minning and harmonisation from all relevant stakeholders on the SDGs.

“This is with a view to providing information base to monitor and assess progress effectiveness during and after the implementation of the SDGs.’’

She, however, said the objective of the workshop was to validate the report and make recommendations for the production of the SDGs indicators.

Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said that the office had continued to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

Orelope-Adefulire, represented by Jenefaa Gillis-Harry, Head of Sectors in the office, said the SDGs office would continue to partner with the ministry to mainstream and domesticate SDGs into the national and sub-national development plans.

“We are also in the process of developing a compact (agreement) with ministries, departments and agencies which will ensure adherence to the MDAs implementation plans of the SDGs.

“My office will continue to partner with the all stakeholders in the implementation of the SDGs in the country, “she said.

The SDGs comprising 17 goals, 169 targets and 230 indicators was launched and adopted by the 193 Heads of Governments including Nigeria in Sept. 2015.

The SDGs is a successor framework to the MDGs to foster inclusive development while addressing the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable development.