By Julius Agadaga, Yenagoa
The newly appointed Statistician-General of Bayelsa State, Mr. Eric Okoriye, has called for adequate funding of the State Bureau of Statistics to enable it to achieve its mandate.
Okoriye made the call in Yenagoa during a thanksgiving reception to mark his appointment.
He said reliable statistical data was critical to effective planning and the attainment of government development objectives.
“Statistical data enables effective planning, which results in the achievement of set goals,” Okoriye said. “With proper funding, Bayelsa can target resources better, attract more support from development agencies, and deliver the services that are needed most.”
The Statistician-General commended Governor Douye Diri for approving the establishment of the State Bureau of Statistics on December 23, 2025.
He noted that he had served as Director of the Bureau for several years before his elevation and expressed gratitude to the Governor for the appointment.
Speaking on his responsibilities, Okoriye said his office would coordinate all statisticians across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including those at the local government level.
He also spoke on his role as Bayelsa State Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme, SUKUK. He said the state commenced the registration of poor and vulnerable households in 2018 while he was Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, and was later confirmed as State Coordinator after years of service in an acting capacity.
According to him, thousands of households have so far been registered and have benefited from cash transfer and other empowerment interventions under the programme.
Okoriye urged Bayelsans to enrol in the National Social Register to access federal empowerment schemes such as scholarships and the NG-CARE programme aimed at poverty alleviation.
He explained that eligibility requires a household to be identified as vulnerable and poor, and to be resident in a community, irrespective of indigeneity.
The Statistician-General disclosed that his office was currently updating records of previously captured households and expanding the register.
He appealed to both the Federal and State Governments to increase funding for the programme to enhance its impact.
“I urge those who have not been captured to register their households,” he said, while thanking family, friends, and well-wishers who attended the reception.
