.
…assures to give Nigerians accurate technology-driven census
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
The Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra has said there is no going back on the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
He assured that everything has been put in place to ensure the success of the exercise and urged all stakeholders, the civil society organisations, development partners and governments at all levels to give maximum support to exercise to ensure its success.
The Chairman who was speaking at the Benue State Stakeholders Summit on the Population and Housing Census organised by the NPC in collaboration with Benue State government, reiterated that the Commission would conduct an exercise that would be technology drive to achieve the best outcome.
He noted that “preparation for the conduct of the 2023 census has reached a point of no return; we have reach a point where we cannot jettison the exercise.
“We have done the digital mapping and we have done the census pre-test and everything was successful. We therefore want to assure Nigerians that the figures that will come out at the end of the exercise will be the exact figures.
The Chairman commended President Muhammadu Buhari who despite the challenges facing the country was committed to having the country conduct a successful population census.
He also commended Governor Samuel Ortom for supporting exercise saying his commitment clearly showed that the Governor understood that demographic data was vital and important to the development of a state, “that is why I urge Benue people to present themselves to be counted.”
Also Governor Sameul Ortom who declared the Summit open said the meeting availed traditional rulers and stakeholders necessary information that would help them support the exercise better.
While urging the people of the state to deemphasize politics and support the conduct of the exercise to ensure its success, the Governor said, “the people must braze up to ensure the success of the exercise in Benue state because census plays important roles during several considerations and posterity will not forgive us if it is discovered that while here we did not play our roles well and we are shortchanged. So census is a serious matter and should be treated as such.”
The Governor commended President Buhari who despite the coming elections also made it a priority to have the country conduct it census in the same year.
Also speaking, the NPC Federal Commissioner for Benue state, Mrs. Patricia Kupchi said the commission was set to deliver the best populatiin census to Nigerians.
She noted that “the conduct of population census is a huge exercise therefore there is the need for all stakeholders to join hands to ensure its success. On our part we will conduct an accurate, reliable and acceptable census in Benue state. And to achieve that the Commission is carrying out digital, transparent and scientific preparation for the census.
“And the census is being conducted in three stages, namely, pre-enumeration, enumeration and post enumeration stages.”
According to Mrs. Kupchi the Commission had already made alot of progress ahead of the exercise which started with the Enumeration Area Demarcation, EAD.
She said the Summit availed the commission the opportunity to mobilise the support of traditional rulers and stakeholders towards organising a successful census in the state.
Those who spoke at the event including the Tor Tiv, HRM Ochiviri Prof. James Ayatse, the Ochi’Idoma, HRM Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Akpen Leva, representative of the Local Government Chairmen among others promised to work closely with the NPC to ensure the success of the coming census.
The post No going back on conduct of 2023 Census — NPC Chairman appeared first on Vanguard News.
