Ogun State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan has tasked Statisticians to develop strategies that will assist the State’s Statistical Masterplan (SSMP) towards charting a roadmap for the effective implementation of all government policies and programmes.

Olabimtan gave the charge in Abeokuta, during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the State Bureau of Statistics, saying statistics was a critical tool required for effective governance and socio-economic development of any entity.

He maintained that the decision to transform the old Department of Statistics into a full-fledged Bureau by the Prince Dapo Abiodun led-administration was apt and an indication of its benefit on good governance.

“Any nation, State, or local council that desires to develop and thrive requires to do things differently in a better, systematic and scientific manner. In Nigeria, all we do is just grope in the dark and end up making unnecessary and unwise decisions that will not be favorable to good governance”, he submitted.

Congratulating the Bureau for the feats recorded within a year of its transition, Mr. Olabimtan who doubles as the Chairman of the Bureau’s Governing Board, charged the staffers not to be overwhelmed by its past success stories, but see it as a leverage to achieve more, calling on the Bureau to come up with proactive policies, programmes, processes and activities capable of adding value to every citizen’s livelihood.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Funmilayo Dada while admonishing the Bureau not to relent on its oars, urged them to be determined towards a collection of accurate data that would complement the ‘Building our Future Together’ agenda of the present administration in the State.

Speaking, Consultant to the Governor in the Office of the Statistician-General, Mr. David Alao said the visit was to intimate management of the Ministry on the Bureau’s achievements and challenges in the past year, as well as the proposed activities lined up for the year 2022.

Alao disclosed that the Bureau had reviewed and amended the State Statistical Law for improved regulatory and institutional framework, conducted a survey on Ogun State Out- of -School children in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), as well as the approval and confirmation of ten Statistician, among others.

High points of the visit were the presentation of awards to the Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary in recognition of their immense contribution to the establishment of the Bureau.