2023 National Census: DG VON Urges Nigerians To Remain In Resident Areas

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, (VON), Osita Okechukwu has urged Nigerians not to travel but remain in their various areas of residence during the next National Population Census to hold.

The Director General said this is to ensure everyone gets counted during the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census across the country.

He gave the advice during a census stakeholders Town Hall meeting organized by the National Publicity Committee on 2023 National Census, held in Kano state, Northwestern Nigeria.

Mr.Okechukwu who is a member of the committee said traveling to ones village from the place of residence during the census exercise and returning later will amount to inaccurate information/data at the end of exercise, stressing that the census is not for competition but for national development and should be regarded as a win win situation for all.

“It is a win win situation for development in a particular area. The local government chairman in Dala in Kano state, Udi in Enugu state, Dutse in Jigawa state and Oron in Akwa Ibom state, would want to know the population and plan, that is what the census stands for.

“It is not a competition, census is different from election. If the people in Kano are more than the people in Enugu, it doesn’t concern Enugu.

“You do not need to move to your village. If you go to your village, what you have denied where you are living is the accurate number that the local government chairman and governor can use in their planning and development, as the census is about development.

He urged Nigerians to eschew religion and ethnic concern during the exercise for the right result to be achieved.

“The census is not a competition between Christians and Muslims, no, it is about development. Any Christian, Muslim, Lebanese, Egyptian, British American that leaves in Kano and are present will be counted.

He equally enjoined Nigerians to endeavour to make the whole exercise transparent devoid of restrictions as the commission is trying its best to make it so.

“Whoever is higher in number will not increase the Money coming to that area. It is not going to be used to create states and local governments. It is about development.

“So let no body make no mistake, whoever is in your place allow him to be counted as the Federal Government of Nigeria wants good planning and development,” he advised.

He explained that the exercise has also created opportunity for houses to be counted in the country for possible gaps to filled.

“What the census process has done is to first of all count the number of houses in Nigeria. If you notice in your house there is a number, that is housing census done by the NPC

“If there are ten houses in your ward, nobody is going to increase it. There is a digital satellite that will cross check the numbers of houses in each ward, LGA and each state. The data will also be used for planning and development, “ said the DG.

Kano state Commissioner for information comrade Mohammed Garba, who is also the chairman publicity committee for the national census in Kano state said the state is creating massive awareness on the census and its importance.

He said the state wants to maintain its lead in the national census as was documented in the 2006 national census. He said, though,Lagos State is always contending the figure but the figures are there for verification.

“We are creating awareness, We want to use this census to maintain our lead in population in Nigeria,” he said.

He urged the committee to take the feedback on the need to use enough women for the exercise and consideration for the culture of the state seriously during the head count.

He said the state will soon organise its own stakeholders meeting for more inputs into the exercise.

Olusola Akintonde