By Frank Momoh
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with the World Bank has commenced a 3-day training for 74 enumerators
for the National Business Samples Census (NBSC), which will enable the enumerators to carry out an inventory of both formal and informal business establishments across the state.
The objective of the NBSC is to develop a national directory of commercial and business establishments with all their associated social and economic characteristics.
Declaring the workshop open, Edo State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Princess Momoh Omoregbe, urged the participants to take the training seriously, as the conduct of the National Census on Commercial and Industrial Businesses will help to increase the quantum and quality of statistics required for policy formulation, planning, monitoring and evaluation of government programmes and projects.
She said the programme is critical as the country is in the process of designing a Medium-Term and Perspective Development Plan tagged “Nigeria Agenda, 2050″, adding, “Planning and policy formulation can only be effective when statistics is promoted as a tool for development planning and evidence-based policymaking.
The commissioner said, “Failure to make recourse to statistical information in the course of governance has retarded our development in the past, which made it difficult to determine how best to provide essential services and in what quantity.”
The representative of the Statistician-General of the Federation and Edo State Officer of the NBS, Comrade Obaide Frank, said the information emanating from the census activity is primarily useful in understanding the nature and structure of the economy, noting that the information will provide a sound business frame for the conduct of economic survey in the country.
According to him, “This exercise along with many others over the years have been extremely critical to the development of the national statistical system and to policymaking and monitoring in Nigeria. Technology will be fully deployed during this period as it will help and enable enumerators in fast and accurate collection of data. The results of the exercise are particularly important for statistical operations and policymaking in Nigeria.”
In a goodwill message, Functional Director of Statistics, Edo State Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, David Obanubi, urged the participants to take the task ahead seriously, as it will determine the accuracy of statistical data from Edo State in regards to businesses and industries in the state.
He said, “If data is well collected, the census will positively affect us. I urge you all to put in your best in the training.”