NPC: We’re on Course to Deliver Accurate, Scientific Census to Nigerians

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The National Population Commission (NPC) has assured that it was on course in its mission to deliver an accurate census to Nigerians.

It added that over the years it had invested considerable time and resources planning for the census by drawing from its rich institutional experience spanning two censuses and a pool of tested professionals to give the nation a truly digital and scientific census that would  generate data for national planning within the context of the present realities.

The Federal Commissioner, Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Joseph Kwali, gave the assurance yesterday in Abuja at a one-day capacity building workshop organised by the Commission for journalists in preparation for the 2023 Population and Housing Census with the theme: ‘Getting the People Involved’.

He said there was no gainsaying that any organisation that strives to achieve success must constantly convey information to all its stakeholders of which the media was very important, in order to secure their cooperation and support. 

Kwali noted that the Commission would no doubt need the support of all stakeholders to deliver to the country credible and reliable data it could use for sustainable development planning.

His words: “I am pleased to inform you all that the outcome of the preparatory activities of the 2023 Population and Housing Census has been reassuring. 

The Commission has successfully demarcated 774 LGAs in all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“The Commission has also conducted the first and the second census pre-test exercises to test the census instruments in preparation for the census. The trial census had been conducted in June 2022. 

“The Commission is on course in its mission of delivering an accurate census to Nigerians and a strategic partnership with the media will form the tripod upon which the census architecture will stand to reach-out to the Nigerian people.”

Kwali emphasised that for a people-oriented organisation like the commission, constant and effective engagement with the media was a crucial step it must take in the attainment of its constitutional mandate of generating data for national planning.

He said the convening of this workshop was one of such engagements and it underscores the determination and commitment of the commission to conduct a successful Population and Housing Census in 2023 by engaging the media .

According to him, the goal of the workshop was to share with the vision of the commission and draw on the support of the media to ensure a broad-based national cooperation for the implementation of the activities of the National Population Commission, especially the coming census 2023.

He reiterated that getting the 2023 Population and Housing Census right was a task that must be done and the commission was committed to ensuring that everything about the census is done rightly and professionally.