Udoma Seeks Better Data Production to Get Nigeria Out of Recession

Ndubuisi Francis

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, disclosed at the weekend that planning was required for the country to overcome its present economic situation.

He stated that in order to plan, “we need statistics”, adding that statistics are very important.

Udoma, who stressed the importance of accurate statistical data in effective planning and development, urged close collaboration between users of statistics and producers of statistical information to enable the attainment of desired results.

Delivering a keynote address at the grand finale of the African Statistics Day in Abuja, he tasked statisticians to come up with appropriate and improved methods of data production in Nigeria, including the application of modern ICT tools.

He said the use of data should form an essential element in government’s decision-making process as timely statistical information is expected to provide the basis for decision making in the governance of the country.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Akpandem James, he noted that the Buhari administration was committed to steady economic growth and sustainable development which was why it places deliberate emphasis on accurate data collection, analysis and projections.

“Let me tell you why the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is important to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and in deed to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Reason is this: in order to get Nigeria out of the economic situation we inherited, we need statistics to plan. In order to plan, we need So statistics are very important.

“You cannot plan without accurate statistics and that is why we support accurate statistics and that is why we support the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to produce accurate statistics on which we can plan. After planning, you have to implement.”