2023 Census: Ekiti Census Committee Tours LGAs, Solicits People’s Support for Exercise

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Steering and Advocacy Committee for the 2023 National Population and Housing Census has called on the people of the state make themselves available for the enumeration when the exercise begins.

The committee also allayed the fears of the people over some misgivings surrounding the exercise, stressing that the national census was essentially for effective socio-economic planning and development of the country and the federating states.

The committee, headed by the Special Adviser on Budget, Economic Planning and Performance Management, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, kick-started the advocacy tour in Ado, Oye, Emure and Ise/orun Local Government Areas of the state last Wednesday.

Adebayo, who led the team to Emure and Ise/Orun LGAs, told the stakeholders in the two local government areas, comprising community leaders, market leaders, religious leaders,  leaders of associations, town unions and youths, that they have significant roles to play in enlightening the people on the importance of the exercise.

He said the state government has put adequate measures in place to ensure the success of the 2023 census exercise, and would provide necessary support to the National Population Commission in the course of the exercise in the state.

He urged Muslim residents in the communities to allow the female

enumerators have access to their wives and daughters for proper enumeration, adding that the 2023 census would be different from the previous ones because only people that are seen would be counted.

In their reactions, the community leaders appreciated the Governor Biodun Oyebanji government for setting up the advocacy and enlightenment committee, and promised to cooperate with the enumerators as they are now sufficiently educated on the census.

The leader of the team that visited Oye LGA, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, disabused the minds of the people who might view the exercise as another  means of imposing additional taxes, and charged the people to support the government to make a success of the census exercise.

In his address to the stakeholders at a gathering at the town hall, Filani, who is the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, urged the residents of the local government area to embrace the enumerators and other officials of the National Population Commission (NPC) with open arms and allow them to discharge their duties effectively for the overall good of the state.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, who led a team to one of the local government areas, explained that the outcome of the 2023 census would aid effective economic planning and provision of amenities aimed at improving the living conditions of the people.

Oyebode urged the residents to ensure that all the communities and farm steads are covered during the exercise, saying the state government is collaborating with the NPC to ensure a hitch-free exercise.