Without Accurate Data, Planning Becomes Guesswork. – Abia Government
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has directed stakeholders and participants in the Unified Data Architecture initiative to monitor performance and provide public services with precision and speed.
On Thursday in Umuahia, Otti presided over the opening of a one-day workshop for public service stakeholders on strategic digital public infrastructure and delivery in Abia State.
“Government in the 21st century must be anchored on credible data and a reliable identity system,” Otti said, speaking on behalf of Ikechukwu Emetu, the Deputy Governor. “In an era where economies thrive on information, Abia State cannot afford to operate in silos.
“With a unified data architecture, we will be able to track performance, allocate resources more effectively, enhance internally generated revenue, fortify social protection systems, and provide public services with accuracy and speed.”
“Planning becomes guesswork without accurate data,” he continued. Service delivery becomes fragmented in the absence of a unified identity framework.
The workshop, according to the governor, is a purposeful and calculated step toward filling in the gaps brought about by a lack of data and setting up Abia State for wise, evidence-based governance. He urged participants to take the workshop seriously.
“Let me stress that this workshop needs to be realistic, proactive, and focused on finding solutions. A scalable, safe, and functional framework that complements each agency’s strategic goals must be the end result.
“The future of governance is digital, the future of planning is analytical, the future of accountability is data-driven, and Abia State is prepared to lead in this direction,” Otti said.
According to the governor, the workshop’s theme, the “One Data, One Identity, One Government” initiative, is more than a slogan; it is “a transformational blueprint.” It aims to integrate and harmonize data systems across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies; eliminate duplication; increase transparency; improve policy formulation; and, ultimately, ensure that government decisions are measurable, accountable, and impactful,” he stated.
He stated that the initiative is consistent with his development philosophy, which emphasizes structured governance, economic purpose, and measurable outcomes.
Dr. Emmanuel Meribeole, Secretary to the State Government, emphasized the importance of developing an integrated data architecture for service delivery in his speech, stating that “decisions can no longer rely on assumptions or fragmented evidence.”
“In order to effectively plan, allocate resources, accurately monitor our funds, and deliver services efficiently, we must create an integrated data architecture based on a dependable identity system.”
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr Kingsley Anosike, said that having a single source of data would enable the Abia State government to perform much better than it is doing at present.
The workshop, which attracted commissioners, special advisers, special assistants, permanent secretaries, directors, and planning officers, among others, featured sector-by-sector presentations.
