Anambra ‘Data Man’ & The Change Drive…

*”If you cannot measure it, you cannot fix it”* — CC. Soludo CFR.

This is one of Gov. Soludo’s commonest sayings, and there is no better way of bringing it to being beside activating institutional mechanisms for regular collection, evaluation presentation and preservation of data across Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government.

The Managing Director and Statistician General, Anambra State Bureau of Statistics, Mr Obiora Obiabunmo is the “data man” of the Anambra State government.

Just recently, upon assumption of office, he organised a data drive sensitization meeting for planning, research and statistics departments in Anambra State aimed at revitalising the use of data for effective planning and implementation purposes.

The event held at the Head of Service Conference Hall attracted stakeholders in the data mining units of various ministries, departments and agencies.

The interactive event featured lectures by some resource persons including the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ms Chiamaka Nnake, who spoke on “Data as a tool for planning and decision making, the Managing Director, Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, ANSIPA, Mr Mark Okoye who spoke on “Data as a requisite for attracting investment” and Director General, Strategy, Execution and Evaluation, Anambra State, Mr Emma Onyilofor who took the gathering on the topic, ” Data for effective strategic planning, implementation and monitoring.

The meeting is one of the flagship initiatives of the state Bureau of Statistics aimed at raising public awareness on the importance of reliable statistical processes for evidence based policy decisions in the state.

The Anambra State “Data Man” noted that the state Bureau of Statistics is ready for effective collaboration with all users of statistics with assurance of providing accurate information and responding promptly to all statistical enquiries and surveys.

— Mazi Ejimofor Opara writes from Awka, Anambra State.