Prof. Vincent  Akinyosoye, a former Statistician-General of the Federation, has called on government at all levels to fund and leverage modern technology to aid data collection in the country.

Akinyosoye gave the charge in his lecture at the Annual Lecture and Conference of the Department of Sociology, the University of Lagos on Thursday.

Speaking on Nigeria’s Data Challenges and National Statistical System, Akonyosoye stressed the need to leverage technology to make data collection easy, fast, and accurate.

The don said it was necessary to inform the government on data collection for proper planning of their budgets.

According to him, the government needs to be educated to know the importance of statistics and the use of modern technology to promote development.

‘’Most top public servants easily give in without pressuring the government to do the right things and they need to learn to be very proactive.

‘’An average human being is selfish and would discourage any modernization or technology that would improve data collection, but that does not mean that heads of service should relent on the convincing government to do the right things,’’ he said.

He said poor data collection had led to many challenges, especially regarding capturing the percentage of the country’s informal sector and market prices to produce Consumer Price Index (CPI) and inflation figures.

He said with proper information, the government should be able to focus on that sector and improve the economy.

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Also speaking, Dr. Lekan Oyefara, Associate Professor, Department of  Sociology at UNILAG, said the lecture was organized to sensitize the government on the need to leverage technology for data collection.

‘’Aside from the government, public sector officials should also try to make use of data in the area of assistance to the community,” he said.