The National Population Commission in Ogun State has expressed the readiness of the commission to conduct a credible census exercise.
The Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Ogun State Yeye Seyi Aderinokun
who made this known on Thursday
at a capacity building workshop for journalists on effective reporting of the 2023 population and housing census said the 2023 census will be fully digitised.
Yeye Aderinokun who was represented by the Ogun State Director, Mr Adeleye Olusola Stephen in an opening remark said the National Population Commission is not a political entity, but an agency put in place to conduct a credible census exercise in the country.
According to him, the census exercise will measure not only the numerical value of the people, but also consider the standard of living of the people.
Mr. Adeleye stated further that the Housing component of the 2023 population and housing census is meant to access the standard of living of the people, adding that the 2023 exercise is a de facto census , which means that only those who are seeing physically would be counted..
The NPC state Director also informed that the census exercise will be fully digitised, saying the results will be foolproof , because it can be verified through real time data capturing and instant upload to the server through the cloud computing system.
In the meantime, Census is a people oriented exercise, therefore getting the people involved is very paramount to its process.
A deputy Director in the Cesnus Department Mr Folami Muka, in a presentation on the History of census in Nigeria said the first census to be conducted in post independent Nigeira was in 1962 which generated a lot of controversy which led to the cancellation of the exercise, thus paving the way for another census exercise in 1963 which was the first census exercise to be conducted in Nigeria by a Nigerian.
He said also, in 1973, a national census board was set up to conduct another census whose result was not published because of allegation of inflation of figures.
Mr. Folami said in 1989, the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida ( IBB ) set up the National Population Commission, which conducted a census exercise in 1991 and the census conducted was adjudged credible and the result was accepted.
He however said the 2026 census which was the first time of using Geographic Information System and was the last conducted till date , was adjudged credible and it became the basis for national planning and development since 2006 and the exercise put the population of the country at over 140 million.
Also speaking a retired Director of Cartorgraphy Department of NPC, Otunba Lanre Anifowose while speaking on Enumeration Area Demarcation for the 2023 population and Housing Census said the Enumeration Area Demarcation has a number of quality assurance personnels that goes about to ensure the quality of the work is assured.
Meanwhile, the inability of the country to conduct census in the last 17 years has created information vacuum because the data obtained in the last census has been rendered irrelevant to the reality on ground.
It is therefore essential for the nation to conduct census regularly preferably at 10 years interval as recommended by the United Nations..
A Deputy Director of Census, Mr. Philips Olaniyi Alayaki stated this while presenting a paper on the processes and methodology for the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
He said to conduct the census is a huge sacrifice the nation must undertake to launch the country on the path of economic prosperity, saying as much as there are competing demands ,it is also important for government to take the issue of the conduct of census very serious.
Mr. Alayaki said capturing the essential dynamics of a growing population like Nigeria means the country need to update record at interval.
Speaking on the state of preparation for the 2023 population and housing census, Mr. Alayaki said the conduct of the 2023 elections which is almost completed will not in anyway interfere with the timetable of the 2023 PHC.
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Still on the census programme, the goals of adopting technology for the 2023 Population and Housing Census is to reduce errors n the entire census processes as well as track and ensure complete coverage of the country.
The Ogun State Director of the National Population Commission,Mr. Adeleye Olusola Stephen stated this while delivering a paper on the topic
” Technological innovations for the 2023 population and Housing Census.
Mr. Adeleye said the commission has put in place quality assurance measures to ensure that the quality of the census date generated is not compromised.
He urged members of the press to report the workshop accurately in order to contribute meaningfully to the conduct of the 2023 population and housing census.
Also speaking on the topic ” Towards Effective Media Coverage of the 2023 population and Housing Census, the General Manager, NTA Abeokuta, Mrs. Funmi Wakama said the information that majority of members of the public will get on the 2023 census will be from what the media practitioners feed them, hence there is the need for journalist to get the right information from the right sources
Mrs Wakama mentioned the issue that media should lookout to cover to include, Building Numbering and Houshold listing as well as the actual enumeration exercise urging journalists to be up and doing in contributing meaningfully to the success of the census exercise.
She said media as veritable partners to this important data generating exercise should play their part very well to ensure that the outcome is widely acceptable to all.#
