From Esther Akaa, Lafia
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has commenced a three day training for 50 enumerators for the conduct of National Business Sample Census (NBSC) in Nasarawa state.
The Nasarawa State Officer of NBS, Mr Tanze Siki while declaring the training open on Tuesday in Lafia stated that the purpose of the training was to carry out survey and produce a comprehensive list as well as provide a framework on businesses and industries domiciled in states of the federation.
Mr Siki further stated that the conduct of the survey which has been long overdue would generate current data on businesses in the state, appealing on participants to take the training seriously.
In his remark, the state Commissioner of Finance, Budget and Planning, Alhaji Haruna Ogbole expressed delight with the training and subsequent conduct of the census which according to him will help in increasing the quantum and quality of statistics required for policy formulation, planning, monitoring, and evaluation of government programmes.
“This is critical especially at this time that Nigeria is on the process of designing a medium term and a perspective development plan tagged ‘Nigeria Agenda, 2050.
“In essence, the prospects of achieving the present administration’s reform agenda and other development programmes such as the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa Agenda, 2063 can only be realized through the use of time-bound and accurate data.
“Government will want to have at her fingertips the status of poverty in Nigeria to address the poverty situation in the country. Therefore, there must be reliable and timely indicators on major sectors of the economy such as agriculture, education, manufacturing, mines and power, health, transport to mention a few,” Alhaji Ogbole said.
The commissioner explained that the present administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule places high premium on statistical information as an ingredient for effective planning and implementation of government policies and programmes.
He, therefore congratulated NBS for the giant strides taken to ensure sustained development , even as he urged the participants to come up with feasible ways of improving the delivery of good statistical information for informed decision making process in Nigeria.
At the end of the training, enumerators will be deployed to the 13 local government areas of state to capture data on businesses and the structure of business in the state.
