Rep. of the SSG, Ag. Statistician General and other stakeholders at the SCCS inauguration at DEC Secretariat Bauchi
By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
Bauchi State Government has inaugurated the State Consultative Committee on Statistics SCCS in its determination to embrace data-driven governance and policy formulation.
The Consultative Committee under the auspices of the Bauchi State Bureau of Statistics BBS was constituted to ensure that statistical data within the state is reliable, comprehensive, and reflective of the prevailing realities.
Inaugurating the Committee, the Secretary to the State Government and Chief Promoter of the Bureau Alhaji Aminu Hammayo said the the membership composition signifies government quest for robust development, good governance, and sustainable progress through data gathering.
Aminu Hammayo represented by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination Alhaji Jibrin Yusuf who said the SCCS is expected to meet twice a year with, urged them to be transparent and accountable in their assignment.
“As we gather here today, we are not only inaugurating a Committee but also inaugurating a vision-one where every decision taken by the government is rooted in data, where every action is underpinned by verifiable evidence. This is critical, as we continue to strive towards greater economic development, social welfare, and infrastructural growth within our state”, the SSG states.
He listed the terms of reference of the committee to include developing strategies to ensure uniform standard and methodology amongst the various agencies, to achieve greater coordination and evolve a state statistics program, as well as review and proffer advice on conditions of service and the training of personnel.
Hammayo highlights that “The role of statistics in governance cannot be overstated. It serves as the backbone of our planning processes and the yardstick by which we measure progress. We must therefore ensure that statistical integrity is maintained at all times, and that the insights derived from this data are used to craft policies that resonate with the needs and aspirations of the people.”
Earlier, the Acting State Statistician General Lawal Bako commended Governor Bala Mohammed and Secretary to the State Government for working assiduously to establish the bureau, noting that the over forty member committee is composed of experts from diverse work settings to converge ideas for statistical development of the state.
“After one of the Executive Council’s conclusions that we really need to have the bureau in place so that Bauchi State will be able to compare favorably with any other state in the country and also build a strategic framework on how to interface with the National Bureau of Statistics to move the statistical landscape of Bauchi State forward”, the State Statistician General explains.
Speaking on behalf of Technical Partners, Professor Ahmad Abubakar from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi who cautioned that integrity remains key in data collection due to the strategic importance of statistics document in changing lives, called for its entrenchment in all government policies and activities to achieve sustainable development.
“Remember, every chart, graph, and report you produce has the potential to transform lives, influence policies, and create opportunities for countless people.”
“Push beyond limits, embrace innovation, and remain resilient in the face of challenges. The trust placed in your work is immense, and your capacity to exceed expectations is even greater. Keep striving for excellence, you are shaping the future”, Professor Ahmad charges.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Representatives of USAID Learn to Read Project, State2State, BASNEC, Paramilitary Agencies, National Bureau of Statistics among others commended the present administration for the political will to establish the bureau and assured of continued support and engagement towards realising the set objectives.
In a Paper titled Strengthening Statistical Capacity for Develop, a roadmap for Bauchi State, a Lead Consultant Mr Tochukwu Innocent who highlighted the negative indices of implementing projects without accurate statistical data of beneficiaries and needs of the populace, assured that the state rating will rise from five to thirty percent if recommendations and guidelines proffered for the bureau are followed to the latter.
The State Consultative Committee on Statistics has the Statistician General as Chairman, Directors of Planning Research and Statistics of MDAs, Paramilitary Agencies, Higher Institutions of Learning, CSOs, CBN, NBS among other key stakeholders as members.
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