ESLF FOUNDER, OTHERS PROPOSE RELIABLE DATA FOR POLICY MAKING ON WORLD STATISTICS DAY 2020.

“Deliberations on World Statistics Day celebration in Benue State should be presented to the United Nations Statistics Division to further promote Benue as a State that is mindful of “connecting the world with data we can trust”.

This formed part of views expressed by the Founder, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) and First Lady of Benue State, Dr. Eunice Ortom, at a Stakeholders’ Dialogue to mark World Statistics Day 2020 in Makurdi.

Dr. Ortom, who was represented by the General Manager, Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA), Mrs. Torwase Ikyaator, stressed that, “We celebrate the day to acknowledge the importance of timely, consistent and reliable data and other statistical indicators of a country’s progress in formulating, implementing and monitoring the key policy decisions taken by a government”.

The theme of the day’s celebration, in her words, “reflects the importance of trust, authoritative data, innovation and the public good in National Statistical Systems.” This theme, according to her, alongside past themes, “show the significance of the day, the need to celebrate it and key into its expected outcomes”.

The ESLF Founder expressed hope that the World Statistics Day would “bring to us knowledge, logic and better understanding of data to help us cross huge hurdles of life with ease, creating successful working environment by taking up statistical practices and ensure a win”.

Earlier in his charge to participants, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, stressed the need to get correct data to guide government policies. The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Tourism, Mrs. Ngunan Addingi, explained that, “if we all know the correct figures about what we do, then we can make decisions that are, not only deliberate, but correct as well”.

Making his presentation at the event, Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Statistics and Data Quality Assurance, Mr. Kumafan Dzaan, who disclosed that the celebration of World Statistics Day comes up once in five years, underscored the importance of statistics in planning. In order to produce data we can trust, Mr. Dzaan prescribed conducting of surveys, computing of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Benue State with assistance from the National Bureau of Statistics and setting up of a State Bureau of Statistics devoted strictly to statistics and related matters.

The PSA called on Stakeholders to play their part by collecting primary data daily or routinely from various organisations and urged them to arm themselves with knowledge about the National Integrated Survey of households and establishments, System of Administrative Statistics (SAS) described as the cheapest data collection method requiring the least planning and manpower.

Panelists and participants at the event, drawn from Civil Society Organisations, Faith Based Organisations, Ministries, Departments and Agencies were unanimous about the need for correct, relevant and comprehensive data that can be trusted to be consciously generated, properly processed and maximally utilized in good time. The theme of the 2020 World Statistics Day is, “Connecting the World with Data We Can Trust”.

#WSD2020 #DataIsLife #NBS #UNSC