Varsity Don raises question on accuracy of NBS data collection, management, says reflection of reality still mirage

Collection and management of accurate data constitutes the heart and blood of economic development of a country hence the need for the National Bureau of Statistics NBS to see their mandate of collecting and managing economic, social and demographic data for Nigeria as constituting part of the conscience of the nation.

This was made known by a renowned agricultural economist, Prof. Raphael Echebiri who delivered the 57th Inaugural Lecture of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), Abia with the theme “The Mirage of Plenty: Facts But Fiction In Nigeria Agro-economy and Smallholder Systems.

Professor Echebiri in his lecture described as disturbing the avoidable scenario where NBS is the only organization with the mandate to generate agricultural and food data for Nigeria and transmit same to Food &Agricultural Organizations and the World Bank stressing that NBS staff hardly visit localities to generate data on agricultural output and consumption which he said raises questions on the quality of data published by the NBS.

He explained that a careful observation on statistics and data churned out by the NBS for yam, cassava and cowpea from 2008 – 2022 showed no significant difference as their production, consumption and demand gap changed with exactly same percentages across the fifteen consecutive years adding that it was unnatural, unrealistic and raises a big question of the originality of their data as he maintained that if the figures fail to represent reality but serve only academic purpose, then they should be regarded as mere fiction.

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The Professor of Agricultural Economics, also urged the Federal Government to come up with a pragmatic action plan to revamp production, processing and marketing of oil palm stressing that the recommendation was in view of the huge income-earning potentials of oil palm and its vast usage for human consumption and industry.
Echebiri said that Nigeria was the world’s highest producer of crude palm oil from 1950’s until the mid-1960’s, accounting for 43 per cent of global market as he regretted that the country, which could now boast of 1.7 per cent of the global market only, has conceded that feat to Malaysia and Indonesia.

He also called on the five state governments of the South-East to take practical steps, individually and collectively, to reinvent the consciousness of the region’s comparative advantage in oil palm production as he called on farmers, processors, marketers other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to see the need to organise themselves into financial cooperative societies, stressing that the nation’s Universities of Agriculture should be mandated, equipped and given the legal backup to generate and manage agricultural data for their various regions.

In his remark, the Vice Chancellor, MOUAU, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, congratulated Echebiri on his simulating and thought -provoking lecture as he harped on the need for people to come together to grow what they eat and eat what they grow which he said was highlighted in the 57th Inaugural Lecture by Professor Echebiri.