“NBS Has Lost The Little Credibility Left In It,” Kogi State Govt
The recent unemployment statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, has generated mixed reactions across the states of Nigeria with different state governments rejecting the report and describing it as” unbelievable”, “shocking” and “confusing”.
In this report, Our Reporter, takes a look at the different comments published in media from different states of the federation in reactions to the report.
NBS over the years released reports on every sector of our national life.
It is responsible for the coordination of national statistics through field reports from the 36 States in Nigeria.
However, some of the reports from the Bureau, have come under intense criticism by stakeholders in the polity, at different times.
In all the criticisms, the stakeholders had always argued that the report under consideration was in sharp contrast with the reality. Here are few examples.
SOKOTO STATE
In June, 2020, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal queried the report by the Bureau, which listed Sokoto as the poorest State in Nigeria.
Specifically, Gov. Tambuwal tasked the statistical body to come clear with variables used in the assessment.
” I do not intend to join issues with the NBS, but I appeal to them to come clear on their variable(s) and how they do their assessments of poor states in Nigeria; and then how they arrived at Sokoto being the poorest,” the governor stated.
He added: “We know that something must be fundamentally defective and wrong with their processes and the outcome of those processes.” According to Saharareporters.
KOGI STATE
The Kogi state government had carpeted the December, 2019, NBS Report claiming the state was the most corrupt state in Nigeria as a “dubious attempt to blackmail and blacklist the state by those scared by her rising economic profile and opportunities”.
The Director General of Media and Publicity to the State Governor, Kingsley Fanwo raised the allegation while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Saturday, saying the Bureau has lost the “little credibility left in it”.
He said the State Government will soon come with facts to challenge the false report by the NBS.“
How can we be the most corrupt state when we have institutionalized strong mechanisms to check fraud in the system? It is unfortunate that the Bureau just looked through its office windows to cook the discredited report.
“In the last 47 months, we have strengthened our internal mechanisms to combat corruption in the system. We undertook a strenuous Staff Verification Exercise to exorcise Corruption from our civil service.
“The State Government has since digitalized the Civil Service. We granted autonomy to the tax administrative board, changing the name from the Board of Internal Revenue to the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service. Today, the Service is led by one of the most respected hand in the industry, leading to opening new vistas for higher revenue as a result of managerial innovations and blockage of leakages.
EBONYI STATE
Ebonyi State Government had rejected a national poverty index credited to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, listing the State as the 7th poorest State in Nigeria in 2019.
The government dismissed the report as “fake and fallacious, fraudulent, malicious and mendacious” meant to deceive gullible members of the public.
According to the State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Hon. Orji Uchenna Orji, “the report is non-existent, ill-conceived and illogically concocted to deceive members of the public.
“The report is in its entirety fraudulent, malicious and mendacious, and deliberately orchestrated to brainwash gullible members of the public and beat their imaginations as to the actual impact of the modest achievements of the Divine Mandate administration of Governor Umahi to the living standard of the people.”
Akwa Ibom
The Akwa Ibom State Government has expressed shock at the report describing it as “unbelievable”.
In a Statement released by tge atate commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong, the government said that the reality on ground in the state is in contradiction with the NBS’ report.
He noted that assessment of the reality of the existence and operation of the numerous industries in the state, the recruitment into the civil and public service, Public Private Partnership initiatives, award of direct Labour contracts, the airline and general aviation businesses, qualitative cash support and interest free loans to entrepreneurs, financial and input support to farmers; the obvious conclusion show that the state government has created qualitative job for her citizens.
For Ekemini Simon, a journalist and Public Affairs commentator, the Akwa Ibom State Government should rather look inward and stop playing the ostrich with the statistics
“Sadly, Akwa Ibom State which after Civil Service work, the highest employing job is the Hallelujah boys industry chooses to play the ostrich. Isn’t it quite disturbing that we are used to ” We no go gree” especially on matters that concern our advancement?
“… The report would have doted the speeches of every politician. It is worrisome why we continue to display certain level of insecurity when faced with the bitter truth.
“If pained with the hard facts, it is time to ask ourselves: Shall we continue to play to the gallery with illusionary expectations for grace to abound in NBS report? To progress, it is time to swallow the bitter pills,” he noted.
In the same way, Mr Aniekan Udosen, Ace broadcaster and Public Affairs Commentator, “unemployment is on the increase in Nigeria, so what has the federal government done to solve this problem especially in the states ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the country? And what have these mostly affected states done? And mostly important, what should the federal government and the affected states do?”
He however advised governments [jeg_weather location=”” auto_location=”false” count=”4″ item=”show”]to give every creative and professional youth a chance irrespective of previously or currently political party affiliation.
Why NBS Economic Growth Report Is Wrong, by experts
In February, 2019, economic experts queried NBS’ report of 2.4 per cent growth in the economy in fourth quarter of 2018.
An analytical economist, Prof. Godwin Owoh, described the new growth result as a politically- motivated one aimed at scoring some political point on the eve of a general election in the country .
According to Owoh, “That GDP report is not reflective of the real situation in the country.
“At best, it is the NBS own contribution to the campaigns because the figures do not add up. ” How can you tell us that we recorded growth when we have a negative fiscal balance? All the states in the country as well as the Federal Government itself are all cash-strapped.
“The government is insolvent. They are unable to meet their obligations and liabilities to even their workers. We are not seeing increased liquidity but increased debt. There is no growth in the Nigerian economy.
“How can you say the Nigerian economy has grown, yet there are no jobs? If there is growth in the economy, there will be stimulation of demand, which means there will be increase in employment because of that demand. But the opposite is what we have on ground, people are losing jobs in their millions because factories are closing shops, and you tell me we have recorded growth, no way. That GDP is biased. But we should expect it that way this time in particular.”
Also, a development economist, Mr. Odilim Enwegbra, faulted the GDP of 2.3 per cent, saying there was nothing tangible on ground to support the result by the NBS.
In an interview with The Guardian in Abuja, he said: “As far as I am concerned the just-released GDP growth figure is simply a political expediency GDP growth.
“How can our economy be growing without something tangibly growing it? Maybe, it could have been politicians’ campaign spending that has suddenly grown the economy.
“Even the oil sector that is supposed to be growing the economy, it is only witnessing sluggish growth. Since we are not yet in the harvest reason, it shouldn’t have been the agricultural sector growing the economy.
“The financial sector that should be growing the economy is going south as most foreign portfolio investors have been so scared that they are certain that there will be some serious post-election crisis that could drag this economy further to the edge. The only possible factor that should have been dragging the economy upward is Christmas and New Year spending. It could have added some little but insignificant growth to the economy to warrant that generous allocation of figures,” the economist maintained.
NBS’ Poverty Figure Not True – Economic Analysts
Economic experts on Monday, described the Nigerian poverty statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, as a gross under-estimation of the poverty situation in Nigeria.
In an interview with the press in Abuja, the economic analysts and labour leader further disclosed that Nigeria’s poverty level would worsen post-COVID-19, while also noting that lack of electricity had contributed in no small measure in worsening poverty in Nigeria over the years.
Professor Uche Nwogwugwu of the Department of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, disclosed that far more Nigerians are living below the poverty line than the number stated in the report, adding that the novel coronavirus pandemic had exposed the true poverty level in Nigeria.
He said: “The number is an under-estimation of the poverty level in this country.
Don Queries NBS’ Data Analysis and Methodology
Also speaking, Uche Uwaleke, Professor of Finance and Capital Markets at the Nasarawa State University and former Commissioner for Finance, Imo State, queried the methodology used in arriving at the number of poor Nigerians, noting, however, that the claim that only four out of 10 Nigerians are poor calls investigation.
Rejects NBS Report on Judiciary as Second Most Corrupt Institution.
In 2017, the National Judicial Council (NJC) had reasons to dismiss a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) in conjunction with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) ranking the judiciary as the second most corrupt institution in Nigeria.
The NJC, which described the report as untrue, baseless, unfounded and a figment of the imagination of the two agencies, wondered the parameters used by them in reaching their conclusions.
The statement which was signed by the NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, lamented that allegation was coming at a time when the current leadership of the judiciary was making frantic effort to bring desired reforms in the justice sector.
The Council finds the two agencies as subjective, the statement said.
NBS Report About Corruption in Police Misleading, Says Police
After a report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in August, 2017, which rated the Police as the most corrupt institution in Nigeria, then Police Public Relations Officer, CPS Jimoh Moshood said the report failed in many respect to appraise the tremendous efforts by the Police to rid itself of corruption.
The Nigeria Police, after a careful study of the report, wishes to state categorically that it is entirely misleading, a clear misrepresentation of facts, essentially based on hearsays which made it unempirical, and the survey instrument absolutely inadequate and therefore a plain distortion of the improved situation in the force as a result of the renewed commitment and determination to fight corruption, bribery and corrupt tendencies in the ranks of the personnel of the Force.
“For the avoidance of doubt, since the inception of the present administration of the Nigeria Police in July 2016, after the reported survey has been conducted and concluded, the Inspector-General of Police has introduced and implemented diverse internal reforms aimed at bringing corruption to zero level in the Force.
