Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning, has urged board members of National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to work with the management to promote sustainable and cost-efficient programmes of the bureau.
Udoma made the call at the inauguration of the Governing Board of NBS on Thursday in Abuja.
“You are required to work with the management of the NBS to, inter alia, determine its mission and long-term strategy roles and responsibilities and develop strategies to promote sustainable and cost-efficient activities of the Bureau.
“Full details of your duties and responsibilities are prescribed in the enabling Act of the NBS which will be handed over to you at the end of the inauguration.
“I urge you to become familiar with it,’’ he said.
According to him, the role of the board as provided in their respective establishment Acts is quite distinct from the day-to-day administration of agencies under the leadership of Chief Executives.
He said strict adherence to statutory provisions by both parties would enhance harmonious relationship devoid of bickering and other unhealthy occurrences.
“You are aware the NBS is the government agency charged with the responsibility for data generation and dissemination in Nigeria.
“The agency facilitates sectoral development in updating and monitoring Nigeria’s socio-economic indicators and advises the government as well as relevant stakeholders, including the public and private sectors on our social rankings.
“Considering the important roles that the NBS plays in nation building, the need for a supportive Governing Board cannot be over-emphasised,’’ he said.
The minister, however, congratulated the members and wished them successful tenure.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Ernest Umakhihe congratulated the appointees, saying “the appointment was based on the recognition of your good track record.’’
The permanent secretary urged the members to be focused and be selfless in the discharge of their duties, asking them to bring their wealth of experiences to bear.
“Your appointment is a call to the service of your fatherland,’’ he said.
Umakhihe said the inauguration had been long awaited because the Boards of two other agencies being supervised by the Ministry had been inaugurated a year ago, leaving out that of the NBS.
The Boards of the Centre for Management Development (CMD) and the Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER), were inaugurated on Thursday, March 8, 2018.
The NBS Board, which required Senate confirmation, was postponed to await confirmation by the Senate which was done on April 11.
The newly inaugurated 15-member Governing Board of the NBS comprises six political appointees and nine Institutional members under the Chairmanship of Dr Kabiru Nakaura and the Statistician-General, Dr Yemi Kale as Secretary and Member.
Responding on behalf of the board, the Chairman, Nakaura assured the minister that they would cooperate with the management of the bureau.
“NBS is important to the socio economic development of the country and as an agency charged with data generation and dissemination, we will support the management of the bureau with our experience and skills,’’ he said.
Sen. Ita Enang, the Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters attended the ceremony.
