Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman? has said that 17 States’ Statistical Agencies have been linked to the National Data Centre.
Usman made this known in Abuja on Monday at a Ministerial Platform in commemoration of Democracy Day and the first anniversary of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
He said as a result, there was now a synchronisation of the production activities of the agencies nationwide.
The minister added that there was also a seamless flow of data from ministries, departments and agencies through the use of ICT.
He said the commission was assisting the state governments to establish and strengthen their planning commissions and bureaus of statistics for enhanced planning and quality data production.
“There is positive result in virtually all zones of the federation, with many states’ planning and statistical offices now up and running,’’ he added.
He said the ministry was ensuring that there was a link in the country’s budget between 2012 and 2015, to accelerate economic development.
Usman added that a Medium Term Development Strategy had been put in place to speed up the actualisation of Vision 20:2020.
The minister explained that the strategy sets the key policies, programmes and projects to be implemented by the Federal Government between 2012 and 2015.
He also said the ministry was developing various policies to coordinate donor activities in order to ensure that they were in line with development priorities.
Usman solicited stakeholders’ support in the implementation of policies to pave way for economic growth and development.
Earlier, Mr Labaran Maku, the Minister of Information, said the platform was to ensure that Nigerians were informed and carried along in the implementation of government’s programmes.
Maku promised that the present cabinet would work harmoniously to ensure rapid development of the country.
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