Masari calls for more attention to statistics
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, has lamented the little importance attached to statistics.
Declaring open a two-day public hearing on the Statistics Bill in Abuja, Masari said: ``It is unfortunate that despite its importance in the planning strategy, the desired emphasis is not being given to it''.
The conduct of the recent census exercise, he said would have been more smooth, if effective statistics the population was available.
He described the Statistics Act of 1957 as
``too obsolete', that needed to be changed in tune with the present realities.
In his remarks, the chairman of the house committee on National Planning, Hon. Abayomi Collins said the bill seek to repeal the Statistics Act of 1957, dissolve the Federal Office of Statistics and replaced it with National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
If established, the Bureau, he said, would transform into a world class NBS that could produce adequate, quality and timely data relevant to the to the demand of stakeholders.
The bill, he said also seeks to establish National Statistical System (NSS) to collect, process, analyze and disseminate quality statistical data and information in a coordinated and accurate manner.
He urged participants at the public hearing to consider independence of the bureau, powers to obtain information, code of conduct for statisticians, confidentiality of the information collected, and offences and penalties in their submissions on the bill.