NBS boss calls for massive production of cotton to revive nation’s industries

The Statistician-General Dr. Simon Harry has said that there should be  massive production of cotton to revive the nation’s industries.

He noted that  about 33 States of the Federation are already into the production of the commodity.

He added that reviving cotton production could revamp the dead industries in Nigeria.

He spoke while the National Bureau of Statistics signed a Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN).

He said the data will enable the Federal Government to determine status of cotton production in Nigeria and what needs to be done to improve on the sector.

The essence of the pact is to develop and manage a credible, robust and reliable database for the cotton industry in Nigeria.

Harry said: “Interestingly, I got to know that about 33 States of the Federation are producing cotton.

“That is very good information for some of us that are preparing for retirement.

” So that you get your farmlands and through mass production of cotton we will be able to revamp industries that are completely dead.”

He and the of NACOTAN, Anibe Achimugu and Dr. Simon. B Harry, the Statistician-General/ CEO of NBS signed the MoU at the headquarters of NBS, Central Business District, Abuja.

Harry revealed that the data to measure the levels of intervention are in most cases not available and where available, not adequate and not even timely.

Besides, he said accessing the data is difficult because of the way they are being warehoused, hence the essence of understanding.

He added, “that is why this collaboration becomes very germane so that we have single warehouse of data repository where users, where farmers who are into cotton production can easily have access to them.”