Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), at the weekend, cried out over attempts by various government agencies to frustrate its data collection efforts, warning that unless relevant information are made available to it, data production for the government and the entire country would impaired.
Speaking after the inauguration of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA), the Statistician General of the Federation (SG), Dr Yemi Kale, explained that the bureau was facing challenges collecting data from several agencies. He said, however, that the bureau does not have problem collecting data in the rural areas.
Kale said without the national health management information system supplying hospital record, there would be no good planning for the health sector.
“When you go to the rural area and you talk to people, they are ready to co-operate with you. The area we have problem now is the routine data collection. For instance, in the health sector, we are supposed to have regular hospital record which should be collected by those in charge of national health management information system which we can use for planning purposes in the health sector. But when those information are not supplied by those concerned, then you see its effect at the production stage. For instance, the National Bureau of Statistics is a producer of statistics but we have suppliers of statistics. Without good suppliers of statistics we will not have good production of statistics. So, the area we have problems is not household statistics. It is actually routine office statistics” he said.
Kale who spoke through the Director , Real Sector and Household Statistics Department of NBS, Dr Isiaka Olarenwaju, opined that statisticians should head most Planning, Research and Statistics Departments in ministries because they understand the statistics and data production process better.
“Experience has shown that most Planning, Research and Statistics departments in ministries are not headed by statisticians. So, it is my personal opinion that statisticians should be given chance to head those types of departments because you know what it takes to produce and make use of statistics to advance in policy formulation. But , if you lump planning and statistics together then allow statisticians to head such departments” he explained.
In his remarks, the First Vice President of NSA, Dr Ebu, said that in the new frontier, statistics would be needed as never before by those in authority both in the private sector and in government as a signpost for finding the right solution to the questions of the day and statisticians will be called upon to furnish them with the needed data.