The National Bureau of Statistics has intensified its commitment to national development through a strategic retreat aimed at enhancing its performance and aligning its operations with the country’s development goals.

Adeyemi Adeniran, the statistician general of the federation and chief executive officer of NBS, said this at a three-day retreat on Tuesday in Abuja.

The retreat is organised for top management staff and chief executive officers of agencies under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

These agencies include the NBS, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Centre for Management Development and Budget Office of the Federation.

According to Mr Adeniran, the retreat would also chart a course for improved statistical services.

”This retreat is very important for the development of our country because we are discussing a performance-based management system.

”All the staff and agencies under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning have been taught about their roles and how their functions are contributing to the development of their country. The three-day programme aims to look at the working relationship between the agencies under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and how we can function properly.

”It also aims to look at how we will work efficiently and collaboratively to deliver the mandate of not only the ministry but that of our individual agencies as well. The retreat is going to help the NBS to deliver more, as we have been doing before and with the performance contract of each staff, they can deliver their functions effectively to translate into the overall development of the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Kwujelu, director of plans and projects, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, stressed the importance of hard work, commitment and accountability as civil servants.

Mr Kwujelu said that signing the performance bond was part of the requirement for them to be eligible for the promotion exam to their next level.

He explained that the performance bond between the directors, CEO and the ministry would make them more accountable.

”People can be assigned to specific jobs and their performance is measured by that job.

”They have to show the performance score to enable them to qualify and be eligible for promotion and it helps us to measure individual staff,” he added.

(NAN)