Population Commission Set For Trial Census In June

The National Population Commission (NPC) has stated that in order to test the capacity of the instrument in preparation for the upcoming census exercise, plans are in place to carry out a trial census in June 2022.

The Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwara, made this know on Monday at Karu, Nasarawa state, at a three-day capacity building workshop for media persons on the 2023 population and housing census with the theme: 'Getting the people involved.' 

Kwara said a demarcation exercise will soon be conducted in the two local governments in Borno and Kaduna States which were not captured due to security challenge, stressing the commission's commitment to ensuring an accurate data census.

"Note that the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) is the division of the whole country to smaller units with clearly defined boundaries known as Enumeration Areas' (EA's) to ensure equitable distribution of workload during census or survey.

"The Commission has successfully demarcated 772 LGAs in all the States of the federation and the FCT, the remainig two LGAs of Abadam (Borno State) and Birning Gwari (Kaduna State) which has not been demarcated as a result of security challenge will be demarcated very soon," Kwara assured.

"The Commission has also conducted the first and the second census pre-test exercises to test the census instruments in preparation for the census instruments in preparation for the census.

The trial census will be conducted in June this year," he added.

The Chairman further stressed the importance of the media in disseminating the right information about the census, appealing for their support towards the successful conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

In his welcome address, the Chairman Public Affairs Committee at the NPC Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji, noted the vital role media plays in the dissemination of information, educating the society, raising consciousness and providing true pictures and live telecast for various events, adding that their role and effects cannot be ignored as it constitutes an important pillar of support for the success of the 2023 Census.

Delivering a goodwill message, the Chairman, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council Emmanuel Ogbeche,  assured of adequate collaboration with the Commission to ensure an successful census, noting however that it will be conducted in the election year therefore called for  adequate protection of Journalists as they carry out it's duties during the census exercise.

Similarly, the Chairman NPC Press Corps, Joshua Adams, assured of Journalists' commitment to supporting the commission in sensitizing the public on happenstance in the process until a final figure is announced which would be recognized internationally at the end of the census, while also tasking the commission on easy working relationship to enable the timely reportage of issues and events.