Ekiti State Governor Mr. Biodun Oyebanji has stated that the implementation of a well-structured and actionable Statistical Master Plan will be pivotal in positioning Ekiti State as a leader in the field of statistics among its peers nationwide.
Governor Oyebanji made this statement during the Ekiti State Statistical Master Plan (ESSMP) 2025-2029 Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop held in Ado-Ekiti.
The Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Habibat Adubiaro reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the State Bureau of Statistics in reviewing the master plan and making the statistical system more focused and strategic in its operations.
He noted that the government had recently approved quarterly meetings of the State Consultative Committee on Statistics to enhance collaboration between statistical agencies and data users.
“To ensure the state has access to robust, credible, and up-to-date data for decision-making, we have also upgraded the Bureau’s Data Bank for more effective data processing and storage,” Oyebanji said.
He commended the Bureau for its efforts in data generation, management and dissemination, which have significantly supported the state’s decision-making processes.
The governor also highlighted the successful completion of fieldwork for the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) computation, noting, “The analysis stage is currently being finalized, and I expect that we will soon have official GDP results up to 2023, once completed, we will have achieved a decade of continuous GDP measurement for the state.”
Governor Oyebanji assured Ekiti residents that his administration would continue to leverage on official statistics to guide governance, fostering economic prosperity and reducing poverty.
He expressed satisfaction with the inclusion of several strategies in the Statistical Master Plan to address challenges related to data advocacy, organizational structure, human resource management, statistical infrastructure, data development and dissemination.
Oyebanji assured stakeholders that his administration would critically review the plan upon its completion and continue to enhance the capacity of public service professionals through training and exposure to best practices.
Highlighting his administration’s achievements despite limited resources, Oyebanji referenced renovations of schools and hospitals, youth empowerment initiatives, free education, skill acquisition programmes, agricultural development, sports promotion, road infrastructure, payment of gratuities and prompt salary payments.
He cited support for artisans and traders through initiatives such as the Artisans Up-skilling Training Programme.
Governor Oyebanji emphasized his administration’s commitment to building a modern, productive and efficient civil service while improving the quality of life for all citizens in Ekiti State.
He reaffirmed the government’s focus on the welfare of public servants, acknowledging their contributions to the state’s growth.
As part of efforts to mitigate the current economic challenges, including rising prices, Oyebanji mentioned initiatives such as free transport services for state workers and students, the appointment of qualified accounting officers, staff promotions and a work-from-home policy.
“Our administration will continue to provide a conducive atmosphere for the workforce to thrive as we are committed to meeting the needs of public servants in the state,” the governor added.
The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo noted that the Ekiti State Statistical Master Plan has been developed to map out strategies for strengthening the State Statistical System (SSS).
Mr. Adebayo explained that the master plan’s objectives include promoting evidence-based policy making for planning and implementing developmental initiatives at both the State and Local Government levels, effectively harness and allocate resources for statistical development and provide parameters necessary to measure the performance and progress of the State’s Statistical ecosystem.
The Commissioner highlighted progress made in recent years, based on recommendations from previous SSMPs, which have been implemented by various administrations.
The key achievements include the establishment of the State Bureau of Statistics with six functional departments.
Other milestones include the passage of the State Statistical Law in 2019, the establishment of planning, research, and statistics units in key MDAs, the creation of budget, planning, research and statistics departments in LGAs/LCDAs and the establishment of a Statistical Data Bank, among others.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were the Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, Emeritus Statistician General, Mr. Olajide Oguntimeyin, other Exco members, and representatives of the National Bureau of Statistics among others.