Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, has highlighted the state’s commitment to improving governance by adopting a data-driven approach through the establishment of the Bureau of Statistics.
This initiative is designed to gather accurate, real-time data across key sectors, such as education, healthcare, and agriculture, to guide government policies and interventions.
The Governor disclosed this during an interview with Arise TV, emphasizing that the initiative will help provide a clearer picture of the state’s development efforts.
“So we have done a lot in the area of education and we have created an agency called Bureau of Statistics in the state so that we can get the true picture of what we have in our state,” he said.
The Governor explained that these surveys provide crucial insights into education, healthcare, and agriculture, ensuring that policies are based on accurate information.
“And as last year, we’re able to do a baseline survey on education, the number of schools, the number of pupils that we have realistically in the state,” he said.
Surveys on healthcare and agriculture
As part of the state’s efforts to improve planning and resource allocation, the government has conducted baseline surveys to collect real-time data on various sectors.
- As part of the data-gathering initiative, the Katsina State government has conducted detailed baseline surveys in healthcare and agriculture to assess the state’s needs and improve service delivery.
- Regarding the healthcare sector, the survey examined the number of patients, doctors, nurses, and available health facilities across the state.
- Similarly, in the agricultural sector, the government collected accurate data on farmers, their locations, and the sizes of their farms to enhance agricultural planning and support programs.
“We’re able to do a baseline survey in our health institutions, number of patients, number of doctors, number of nurses, and number of health facilities that we have. We’re able to do a baseline survey on farmers. We’re able to do and get the real statistics, the locations, their farm sizes,” the governor stated.
What you should know
Data-driven governance is becoming increasingly important in Nigerian states. Bauchi State launched a 40-member advisory committee to enhance policy decisions through data and statistical integrity. The committee, operating under the State Bureau of Statistics, will coordinate statistical programs across agencies to ensure consistency and reduce redundancies.
- In a similar approach, Ogun State is integrating global health benchmarks into its evaluation system, focusing on maternal and child health indicators to improve policy-making. The state is utilizing RMNCAH+N scorecards to monitor, assess, and enhance healthcare service delivery.
At the federal level, the President Bola Tinubu administration launched the Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), designed to provide data-driven insights into crime and security across Nigeria.
