Recruitment: Population Commission warns against extortion of applicants

The National Population Commission (NPC), has warned against extortion of money or racketeering from those applying for the post of either supervisors or enumerators in the 2023 census exercise.

The NPC Commissioner in Kwara State, Razaq Gidado gave the warning during the training of staff and facilitators in Ilorin, the state capital

According to him, reports reaching his office alleged that some people extort money from applicants.

He warned that anyone caught in such an act risk prosecution and also advised would-be enumerators not to bribe or give gratification to any member of staff of the commission in the course of applying for the census assignment

The NPC National Commissioner assured all those that applied and qualified for the census job that they would be screened and engaged without favouritism.

A Staff of Ifelodun local government, Mr Adeyemi Jonathan who reacted to the extortion allegation denied that there was no case of extortion in his area but rather, he only contacted some communities who promised to assist the commission to provide generating sets and fill it with petrol at night during the screening exercise.

Meanwhile, Gidado appealed to facilitators undergoing training to be patient over non-payment of their allowances and assured them that the challenges would soon be addressed.

He attributed the delay in the payment of the allowances to those not selected but were attending the training programme.

According to Gidado, only 752 facilitators were captured for the training in Kwara State but over 200 gatecrashed and are attending the training which overshot the official number employed by the commission but said such abnormality was being addressed.

The facilitators expressed concern that since the training Programme which began on Friday 27th, January and would end on Sunday 5th, February 2023, they have not been paid their training allowance.

“Officials of NPC  are working round the clock to ensure that the 2023 Population and Housing Census go on as scheduled.

“Supervisors and enumerators who are presently being screened at their various local government areas and wards are expected to also undergo training for the head count which will hold between March 29 and April 2, 2023.”

The Population and Housing Census aims to provide key information about people, households, buildings, localities and also collect data on climate change in the country.

The 2023 census is the first time that Nigeria will be conducting a digital and paperless census, through the deployment of the latest technology in population data all over the country with the use of Personal Data Assistant (PDA).

PIAK