joshua
Census
By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja, Dec. 15, 2020
(NAN) The National Population Commission (NPC), on Tuesday assured that the Commission would deliver on a credible national population and housing census that would stand the test of time and acceptable to all.
The Chairman of NPC, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, gave the assurance at a Stakeholders’ Inauguration of State Level Training for Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) Phase 2 Functionaries on Tuesday in Lokoja,
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders meeting was ahead of the much anticipated next round of National Head Count in Nigeria.
He called on traditional rulers and other stakeholders to support the Area Enumeration Demarcation (EAD) exercise to ensuring effective and reliable national census.
Kwarra, who was represented by the NPC Federal Commissioner, Prof. Jimoh Isa noted that the success of a credible and accurate census was anchored on the quality and reliability of the AED.
“Planning for census is anchored on the EAD as the basis for estimating both human and material resources required for the census proper.
“In order to boost the community mobilization and enlightenment effort of the commission with clear objective to get people at the grassroots to take ownership of this very important national project.
“The commission is determined to deliver to the country a population and housing census that will stand the test of time.
”We shall continue to explore all the pitfalls of the past”, hehe said..
He, therefore, solicit for the support of all Nigerians as the commission embarked on what would be obviously going to be massive Enumeration Area Demarcation activities across the nation,” he stated.
Kwarra explained that the commission had put adequate logistic arrangement in place for effective deployment of personnel and material in all the LGAs where the Phase 11 of the EAD are to be conducted.
According to him, the FCT has been fully demarcated, while nine LGAs have been demarcated in Kogi State, with two others to be added under the phase.
Kwarra further urged the communities in Kogi to cooperate with the NPC, in it’s bid to complete the ongoing EAD.
The Chairman added that the Commission was also in synergy with the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), to create digitize maps of registration areas towards a successful excercise.
He assured of the accuracy of the EAD with the use of Global Positioning System, GPS, for geo-referencing and Geographic Information System, GIS, for data management.
Flagging off the exercise, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr Emmanuel Ajibero commended the efforts of the commission for digitizing it’s operations but advised NPC to involve tour guides in the excercise especially in the rural areas.
In his remarks, the Zonal Coordinator, North Central Zone of the Commission, Mrs Arukwe Ngozi, said 514 LGAs were to be captured under phase 11 to 15 respectively.
He appealed to relevant stakeholders to support the exercise to achieve the desired results.
Speaking, the Kogi State Director of NPC, Mr. Aboidun Ojo, said Community Interface Assistant (CIA), had been appointed to bridged the gap between host communities and those involved in the EAD.
Ojo further appealed to Royal Fathers in the State to avoid issues that could result into boundary crises for a hitch free exercise.
Goodwill messages werr received from representatives of Ohinoyi of Ebira, Attah of Igala and Obaro of Kabba, as well as NGOs in attendance.
The EAD which had commenced nationwide was expected to end on the twentieth of January next year.
(NAN)
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