A coalition of civil society under the umbrella of the Integrity Advocacy for Development Initiative and Centre For Peace, Transparency and Accountability has called on the Federal Government to consider a professional to replace the late Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr Simon Harry.
The coalition said whilst the government would by now be making effort to get a replacement, who will also head the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the President must consider the core mandates of NBS before the appointment.
At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the convener of the coalition, Patrick Ogheneyero, said: “In more advanced and prosperous climes, statistical data is the template that guides economic planning of the country. It guides the economic focus and priorities of the government.”
Ogheneyero said the coalition survey has revealed that internal recruitment for ministry, department and agency (MDA) heads turned out well considering the clear understanding of the system by the employees.
“We, therefore, implore the supervisory minister of budget and national planning to look with a keen respect for the career calibration and hierarchy within the organisation for the continuity of the good work done and left behind by the late Statistician-General.
