THE Department of Statistics, Delta State Ministry of Economic Planning, yesterday in Asaba, commenced a two-day training workshop on the conduct of the State’s 2024 Poverty Mapping Survey, in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Abuja. The training workshop, which continues today, is holding at Ground Floor, Cluster D, Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat, Asaba. The upcoming survey across the state is expected to cover education, health and standard of living.
The Pointer gathered that the survey will go a long way in assisting the Delta State Government in poverty reduction and eradicating hunger, as well as empowering the government to address poverty effectively, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, therefore urged the training participants to seize the opportunity to provide accurate data so that the MORE Agenda of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Oborevwori can be effectively defined.”
The Commissioner,represented by Director of Budget, Mr. Thomson Olije, declared the training workshop open, while expressing pleasure in welcoming statisticians drawn from across the state for the purpose of being trained in the task of accurate collection of data during the survey.
With Olije were the State Director of Statistics, NkechiMaduemezie, both were joined by other directors in the ministry, including Mrs. Nkechi Atogu, Mrs. Felicia Omare, Mr. Wilson Okoso, Mrs. Martina Anomano, the deputy director of Statistics and HOD, field offices, Mr. Ottah Nobert and a host of others. The NBS was represented by Mr. Saheed Bakare, Principal Statistician, Department of Demography and Household Statistics, NBS, Abuja, who is the resource person/training facilitator at the training workshop.
Ekedayen in his address to the training participants, said “esteemed statisticians, it is my pleasure to address this gathering of workers dedicated to providing the state with timely data. I am delighted that you have come to answer this clarion call on this crucial task. The task will benefit, not only Deltans, but the entire nation and continent.
“I understand that this is the third time the state is embarking on this exercise. As we widen our scope in this exercise, because we learn more everyday, we are indeed grateful to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for always being supportive and helpful to us in terms of training.”
“As statistical personnel, we cannot over-emphasize the importance of this poverty mapping survey. Poverty is multi-dimensional, that is, there are different areas of poverty. The upcoming exercise is especially crucial given our ever-increasing population and the struggle government is going through to reduce poverty and eradicate hunger.”
In her address at the training workshop, Director of Statistics, Nkechi Maduemezie, said the training workshop would afford them the opportunity to rub minds on the conduct of the poverty mapping survey. She recalled that “the second edition of the exercise was conducted in 2020 and it led to the state securing the safety net grant from the Federal Government.
“His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and the support of the Economic Planning Commissioner, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen has put statistics as one of the Special Purpose Vehicle for the realization of the MORE Agenda”, Maduemezie said, adding that “as you all know, poverty is multi-dimensional, it deals with deprivation in so many areas, namely health, food, education, standard of living, finance, to mention but a few.” She concluded by saying that the “survey is very crucial for planning in the state. I can call it one of the most important surveys after the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) survey in the state.
Next was the technical session. Mr. Bakare from the NBS Abuja, provided an overview of the Delta State Poverty Mapping Survey, insights for targeted interventions and sustainable development, understanding of why we are collecting data, the key components of the data, the indicators, qualitative and quantitative data, among numerous other areas needed for a successful survey in the state.
The training workshop continues today at the same venue.
