Abia Plans Data-driven Governance for Better Service Delivery

Boniface Okoro in Umuahia

Abia State government is planning to unlock data-driven governance for efficient service delivery through its proposed One Data, One Identity, One Government initiative.

The initiative would help the government to generate, plan and deliver services to the public, using one source of data.

Declaring open a one-day workshop on the initiative held at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, Thursday, Governor Alex Otti charged stakeholders and participants to build a unified data architecture for tracking performance and deliver public services with precision and speed.

The gathering was christened Abia State Workshop on Strategic Digital Public Infrastructure and Delivery and was organised for stakeholders in the public service.

Governor Otti, represented by his Deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, maintained that governance in the 21st century must be anchored on credible data and a reliable identity system.

“In an era where economies thrive on information, Abia State cannot afford to operate in silos. A unified data architecture will empower us to track performance, allocate resources more efficiently, improve internally generated revenue, strengthen social protection systems, and deliver public services with precision and speed.

“Without accurate data, planning becomes guesswork. Without a harmonised identity framework, service delivery becomes fragmented,” the governor stated, emphasising that “the future of governance is digital, the future of planning is analytical and the future of accountability is data-based.”

He said that Abia State “is ready to lead in this direction,” explaining that the workshop marks a deliberate and strategic step towards correcting the gaps lack of data have caused, and position the state for intelligent, evidence-based governance.

“Let me emphasise that this workshop must be practical, forward-looking, and solution-driven. We expect frank discussions about operational realities, your data needs, integration challenges, capacity gaps, and digital identification requirements. The outcome must be a scalable, secure, and fit-for-purpose framework that supports every agency’s strategic objectives,” the governor stressed.

He warned the participants that theme: ‘One Data, One Identity, One Government’ initiative is not a mere slogan but “a transformational blueprint” which “seeks to integrate and harmonise data systems across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies; eliminate duplication; enhance transparency; improve policy formulation; and ultimately ensure that government decisions are measurable, accountable, and impactful.”

The governor commended the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser, the development partners and federal agencies for championing the initiative.

Earlier, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Meribeole, had stressed the need to build integrated data architecture in service delivery, noting that decisions could no longer be based on assumptions or fragmented evidence.

“For us to plan effectively and allocate resources to them, monitor our funds accurately, and deliver services efficiently, we must build an integrated data architecture anchored on a reliable identity system.

“Today’s meeting is a foundational step towards the realisation of the “Abia One Data, One Identity, and One Government initiative,” Meribeole said.

Also, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Kingsley Anosike, who said the theme of the workshop was ‘One Citizen, One identify: Unlocking Data -driven Governance’, regretted that fragmented data was actively harming the state.

According to him, having a single source of data would make the Abia State government perform much better than it was doing at present, as he said that before now, Abia has been practicing “voodoo planning.”

“If we think this state is doing well, multiply that by six. That is how better we can do if we have data that we are properly aligned; if we have a budget that speaks to that data and if we have a development plan that is based on the data we have gathered,” he said.

“Whether we are talking to PIN or PACE or World Bank or whoever we are talking to, we can mine from the same source. And our development partners can be sure that this source is secure and it is credible,” Anosike said.

The Chief Information Officer of the State, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe, made a technical presentation, emphasising the importance of accurate data and factors that enhance accurate data for development.

The workshop, which attracted Commissioners, Special Advisers, Special Assistants, Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Planning Officers among others, featured sector by sector presentations.