The Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Economic Planning
Directors of Ministry of Economic Planning
Directors of the Department of PRS
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
I am indeed very happy
to welcome you to this meeting, which is a follow-up to a similar one
held on 29th October, 2007. I recall that I told you in my opening address
during that meeting that the main reason for convening the meeting was
to emphasize the relevance of the neglected statistics function of the
average PRS Department to the State Government, the Ministry of Economic
Planning and to your Parent Ministries. Specifically I told you that you
were expected to generate data required for planning, project formulation,
monitoring and evaluation. I also recall telling you that you were required
to make quarterly returns generated by your Departments to the Central
Office of Research and Statistics
in the Ministry of Economic Planning to enable us regularly update our
2. You would remember
my statement that the State Government was ready to encourage and support
the production of relevant statistics, not only in the Central Office
of Research and Statistics, but also in all PRS Departments. I am proud
to tell you that government has done a lot in the last one year to demonstrate
that commitment. For example in 2007, Government approved the hosting
of the 2007 Annual conference of the Nigerian Statistical Association
(NSA) - including the sponsorship of about 50 Statistical Personnel drawn
from the Central Office of Research and Statistics and PRS Departments
to the conference.The State Government also approved a workshop at Amukpe-Sapele
for field officers in my Ministry who are directly involved in data collection
and related activities. In addition to providing new computers and other
accessories to
facilitate data entry and analysis in the Central Office of Research and
Statistics, government also approved the second phase in the development
of a Local Area Network for the Central Office of Research and Statistics
through the acquisition of SPSS and Fox-Pro software. We have also continued
to ensure that adequate budgetary provisions are made to sustain and accelerate
both routine and ad-hoc statistical activities in my Ministry.
3. Today, one of the
major thrusts of the State Government is the preparation of the Delta
State Vision 2020. As you are all aware, the Delta State Vision 2020 Council
and Steering Committee were inaugurated by His Excellency, the State Governor
on 15th July, 2008. The preparation of the Delta State Vision 2020 Document
as well as the on-going programmes like the DELTASEEDS, the NEPAD and
the MDG's require relevant and timely statistics/data, which are to be
provided by the Central Office of Research and Statistics and the Line
Ministries. Therefore, as the pivot of statistics in your Ministries,
I enjoin you to brace up to the challenge of massive data gathering and
analysis required for planning, monitoring and evaluation of government
projects and policies.
4. It is my fervent hope that as we discuss at this meeting, we will explore new and better ways for ensuring more virile, dynamic and responsive PRS Departments in the State. In the course of this meeting, I expect you to raise and discuss both common and unique problems, which might be militating against the effective performance of your duties in your various Ministries/Agencies. I can readily assure you that the State Government is always ready to provide you with the necessary tools and training required to enhance the performance of your duties.
5. I will not end this address without reminding you that my Ministry still expects you to do the following things as a matter or routine:(a) maintain a functional Statistics Unit with a virile databank - to cover all departmental activities in your Ministry.
(b) ensure that you always make budgetary provision for all proposed statistical activities.
(c ) maintain quarterly
records in the format provided by the Ministry of Economic Planning which
should be forwarded to the Central Office of Research and Statistics,
Ministry of Economic Planning within the 1st week of each succeeding quarter,
with respect to the following:
• Administrative/manpower statistics
• Statistics of projects
• Departmental Reports/Statistics.
(c) produce an annual
"Digest" or Statistical Publication on your
Ministry's activities for the purpose of monitoring the Delta State Vision
2020, DELTASEEDS, NEPAD programmes and MDG's as they pertain to your Ministry.
6. Thank you.
Bernard Okumagba
HOIL Commissioner
for Economic Planning,
Delta State.
.