Nasarawa Commissioner of Finance Champion Data-Driven Governance at Statistics Day Event

Lafia – The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and Planning, Hon. Munirat Abdullahi, has called on all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to renew their commitment to strengthening the state's statistical system for accurate and reliable data collection.

The Commissioner made the declaration on Monday at an event marking World Statistics Day, held in the conference room of the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Planning in Lafia.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Polinus Felix Wahe, Hon. Abdullahi stated that World Statistics Day is set aside to recognize the essential role of data and statistics in shaping effective governance and sustainable development.

She emphasized that the day also honours the dedication of statisticians and data professionals whose work supports transparency and informed decision-making.

“Lack of quality data leads to poor planning, an absence of accountability, and misguided decision-making in governance,” the Commissioner warned. She urged government officials to rely on “accurate, reliable, and timely facts to design sound policies and allocate resources effectively to meet the needs of the people.”

Reiterating her commitment, she added, “Together, we can build a government where every decision counts and is guided by facts.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Statistician-General of Nasarawa State, Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim, highlighted that the day is celebrated every October 20th to appreciate the efforts of statistical agencies like the National Bureau of Statistics and its state-level counterparts.

Dr. Ibrahim described statistics as the “backbone of every informed decision,” identifying key areas such as economic planning, poverty reduction, healthcare, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He encouraged all members to imbibe the culture of data literacy.

A guest speaker from Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Dr. Shamah Emanuel Chiaku, pointed out that data is critical to the development process and daily life. Dr. Chiaku attributed the inappropriate allocation of resources to poor data collection and outlined key principles for improvement, including ensuring accuracy, reliability, and standardization in data analysis.

In a presentation titled "Nasarawa State Bureau of Statistics at a Glance," the Director of Agriculture & Demography, Mr. Micah Ehada, revealed that the Bureau was created from the Ministry and signed into law on August 20, 2023, by His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi A. Sule. He noted that the appointment of Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim as the substantive Statistician-General aims to provide accurate data for proper government policy formulation.

Other contributors at the event included the Director of Budget, Mr. Ataka Aklo Peters; the Director of Planning, Research & Statistics, Mal. Isa Osama; and the Director of Monitoring & Evaluation, Mrs. Monica Jatau, all from the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Planning.