Governor Ododo Constitutes 21-Member Statistics Committee to Strengthen State Development Planning

By Abubakar Shuaibu A.

Lokoja | Tuesday, May 19, 2026

The Kogi State Government has inaugurated a 21-member State Consultative Committee on Statistics (SCCS) aimed at strengthening statistical coordination and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the State’s 32-year Development Plan.

The Committee is expected to serve as the primary advisory body for coordinating, standardizing, and improving statistical data collection within the State’s economic planning framework.

Inaugurating the Committee on behalf of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, FCA, at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State in Lokoja, the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State (SGS), Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade, Ph.D, stated that no meaningful development can take place without accurate and reliable data to guide planning and decision-making.

According to the SGS, continuous review and analysis of data across all sectors remain essential to the successful implementation of the State’s development agenda.

“To achieve the painstaking sector-by-sector collection of critical data, the Committee must work as a team and approach the assignment with all the seriousness it deserves,” she said.

Mrs. Ayoade explained that part of the Committee’s core responsibilities includes harmonizing data collection efforts across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as Local Government Areas, in order to eliminate duplication and improve efficiency.

She further noted that the Committee would evaluate the technical quality of data to support evidence-based policy formulation, socio-economic planning, and infrastructure development in the State.

While congratulating members of the Committee on their inauguration, the SGS urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by delivering meaningful results that would contribute to the overall development of Kogi State.

Speaking during the inauguration, the Chairperson of the Bureau of Statistics, Mrs. Ayo Alani Irewole, expressed appreciation to Governor Ododo for the opportunity to serve in that capacity.

She noted that one of the key responsibilities of the Committee is to improve access to statistical information for policymakers and the public.

“We will align statistics with development plan indicators and ensure that these indicators are consistently tracked across Ministries, Departments and Agencies,” she stated.

Members of the Committee were drawn from various MDAs, security agencies, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations across the State.