No meaningful development can be achieved without accurate statistics — Bello

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi says no meaningful development can be achieved without accurate statistical data.

The governor said this when he declared open the 43rd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA) on Thursday in Lokoja, with the team: “Population Explosion, Statistical Views and Solutions.”

Bello, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Ayoade Arise attributed the success recorded in the state so far to proper statistical records.

He stressed the need for state governors to engage the services of statisticians, saying that they were professionals that could be relied on to get accurate statistical data for economic development.

Earlier, Alhaji Muhammed Tumala, a former President of the NSA emphasised the need for government agencies to train statisticians and give them definite job descriptions.

In an interview with our reporter shortly after the event, Tumala, a Director of Statistics, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said training was critical for statisticians.

Thia àccording to him is because they are expected to design forms to be used by other departments to record data on daily basis.

Tumala said this was critical as such data was needed on quarterly basis, adding that it would be aggregated.

He decried the lack of capacity in the profession, adding that the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) should be able to train statisticians at all levels.

Tumala said personnel trained should be posted by the association to the various establishments to ensure effective data recording and adherence to professional conduct.

It was reported that some topics to be discussed at the conference include “Ways of Ensuring Sustainable Agriculture Production and Security, Effective Mass Education and Transportation, and Effective Monetary and Fiscal Policy.

The conference which is being attended by States’ Statistical-Generals and associations from across the federation is sponsored by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Other organations represented at the conference are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as well as other corporate bodies.