In a bid to equip Statisticians and Planners with needed skills and resources to thrive, the Ogun State government, through the State Bureau of Statistics, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), organized a 3-day Capacity Building Workshop for Statisticians and Planners for enhanced performance.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Dada, who declared open the workshop, at the National Medical Association Hall, Ijeun-Lukosi, Abeokuta, in her charge, revealed that training is a crucial step in on-going efforts to equip the State Statisticians and Planners with skills and knowledge necessary to generate comprehensive reports and effectively use disaggregated data to monitor the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) goals, expressing her gratitude to the participants for their supports and challenged them to help the State in her quest towards greater socio-economic development through the achievements of the ICPD goals.
The State Statistician-General, Mr. Michael Babatunde Ajayi noted that the training was based on generating reports and using disaggregated data to monitor International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) goals.
He submitted that training was part of efforts by the State Government to boost efficiency and uplift the workforce, saying the ICPD goals represent a global commitment to ensuring the well-being and rights of all individuals, with a focus on issues such as population dynamics, gender equality and sustainable development.
He added that monitoring these goals require accurate, timely and detailed data, saying disaggregated data, in particular, is essential, as it allows statisticians and planners to understand the diverse needs of different population groups, while ensuring that no one is left behind.
He stated further that in Ogun State, the responsibility of collecting, managing and analyzing this kind of data falls largely on the shoulders of the Statisticians and Planners, saying that the reports and data generated by the Statisticians and Planners are not just numbers, but foundation upon which policies are built, resources are allocated and lives are improved.
He urged the Directors of Research and Statisticians at the Local Government level to be pivotal in data ecosystem, as timely reporting is essential for the State Bureau of Statistics to function effectively, adding that the training is important because analysis is a never-ending improvement.
The lead facilitator, Mr. Dayo Ogundeyi, said the workshop would widen the horizon of statisticians and planners alike, as it is a sort of retraining them, submitting that the participants have gained new and various ways of data collection, as well as knowledge in real time.
A representative of United Nations Population Fund, Mr. Bamidele Babajide, commended the Prince Dapo Abiodun led-administration for its efforts in capacity training for workers in the State, adding that his leadership and commitment in empowering the workforce had been outstanding.
Another participant, Dr. Ogunjobi Olalekan Director, Planning, Research and Statisitcs, Obafemi Owode Local Government, expressed his gratitude to the government and the organizers for the invaluable opportunity to be part of the training, saying, he had gained significant knowledge and insight to enhance his work.
Participants were introduced to Power Bi, an analytic service by Microsoft that allows users to visualize and analyze data in an interactive and dynamic way.
