Abuja – The National Population Commission (NPC) on Tuesday expressed its resolve conduct an accurate, reliable and acceptable census that would provide demographic data for sustainable national planning.
The NPC’s Chairman, Chief Eze Duruiheoma, gave the assurance at a workshop preparatory to 2017 population and housing census in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by the United States Census Bureau and supported by USAID.
“I assure Nigerians and development partners that the commission remains committed to conduct an accurate, reliable and acceptable census that provide demographic data for sustainable national planning.
“With the successful completion of the first and second phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation, preparations for the next census are on course.
“The commission has demarcated one Local Government Area (LGA) each in all the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
“The exercise which involved the division of selected LGAs into small areas that can be conveniently covered by a pair of enumerators during the census’ period has been meticulously carried out using satellite imagery.
“This has minimised possible cases of omission and duplication of households alleged in past censuses,’’ Duruiheoma said.
Though the chairman could not immediately give the exact date for the actual census, saying the Federal Government would make the announcement.
“This exercise is not entirely driving by the commission, the proclamation will be issued by the President and when such proclamation is issued every other thing will fall in place, that curiosity of when will it be will be answered in due course,’’ he said.
Duruiheoma, however, commended the efforts of the USAID and United State Census Bureau for their supports and urged other donor agencies to emulate the gesture.
Mrs Nancy Lowenthal, the Director Health Population and Nutrition USAID, assured Nigeria of its commitment to actualise its dream of credible and accurate census.
She said that her country’s support to Nigeria would be a technical one, saying no country fund the census of another country.
Lowenthal reminded Nigeria that it was the sole responsibility of every country to fund its census. (NAN)