Federal Govt Inaugurates C’ttee For N207bn 2023 National Census Exercise

Federal government has set up a publicity committee for conduct of the proposed 2023 population and housing census. The government said it will spend over N207 billion on the exercise.

Speakiwng at a press briefing on the 2023 Population and Housing Census and Inauguration of the National Census Publicity Committee, chairman of the National Population Commission Nasir Isa Kwarra said the federal government had given the commission N10 billion to do the enumeration and demarcation of the country. The demarcation started about five years ago.

Another N197 billion was voted for the conduct of the national census in the 2022 national budget. The census is billed to take place immediately after the nation’s general election in March, this year. He said an unspecified amount had been released to the commission to commence the enumeration process. Nigeria last conducted its national census 17 years ago.

“The overarching vision of the 2023 census is to produce not only accurate, reliable and acceptable census data but also an inclusive and user-friendly data that will be used by all segments of the society for development planning and critical programme interventions.

“Therefore, as part of this commitment, the Commission will deploy full digital technology in the conduct of the Census and it will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the results of the census is acceptable to Nigerians and the quality of the data to be generated meets international best standards,” Kwarra said in his presentation at the PMB administration scorecard series yesterday in Abuja.

Earlier, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census is a top priority for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. “It is borne out of the desire to bequeath an enduring legacy of evidence-based planning for sustainable development,” Mohammed said.

The minister said the conduct of the 2023 census is to complement what he called the giant strides of government by laying a sustainable basis for a planned and prosperous Nigeria.

Kwarra assured of the commission’s commitment to ensuring that everything about the 2023 census is done rightly and professionally. All the buildings and structures in the country have been captured and geo code. “We have been able to produce a digital map,” he stated.

The committee’s mandate is to inform, educate and enlighten Nigerians on the scope of the census which will involve the counting of every person resident in Nigeria during the conduct of the exercise and that it will take place simultaneously in every household in the country.

Kwarra said the mobilisation of critical stakeholders to support and take ownership of the process to achieve the desired outcome is imperative, a possibility that is hinged absolutely on the ability to speak to the people in the language that will galvanize and mobilize them to participate in the enumeration.

Those to carry out the census would be trained in the different zones of the nation.

Many of the equipment needed for the exercise are already on ground and more to come. “We are exploring all options to ensure we have enough PDAs for the exercise,” he said.

He said President Buhari has approved the building of a permanent head office for the commission and state offices in all its branches nationwide.