The Gombe State Government has inaugurated a fifteen-man committee to conduct wide public enlightenment and sensitization campaigns on the 2023 National Population and Housing Census.
The committee is to be headed by the State Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau. Their duty will be to ensure a successful, hitch-free and acceptable census.
Members of the committee are to devise and implement effective strategies to assist the National Population Commission produce accurate and reliable census data, as well as recommend reasonable and affordable logistics and security assistance to be extended to the National Population Commission.
They are also to supervise, monitor, guide and give directions to Local Governments Publicity and Logistics Committees, as well as recommend and carry out any other activity that will assist the commission in realizing the vision to produce accurate, reliable and acceptable data of the state.
The Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Chairman of the committee, explained that the essence of the census was to provide essential information on the socioeconomic variables of a population. He urged the members of the Committee to live up to the expectations of discharging their responsibility.
“Even though census predates the biblical era, events and happenings in society today necessitate the need for a census in the nation, more than ever. The essence of census is to provide essential information about the socioeconomic variables of a population. Nigeria is no exception, and so the compelling need for a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census that will help in planning for not just the citizens but the residents in our various domains becomes imperative as the nation desire to attain development,” said Dr Jatau.
He said even though digital census would eliminate previous bottlenecks such as political, religious and cultural sentiments associated with accurate census in the country over the years, human beings can sometimes manipulate the machines meant for the ease of carrying out tasks more accurately with great precision.
“Our duty as members of this Committee is to enlighten, sensitize and get the buy-in of residents in Gombe State to understand, cooperate, participate and assist in any possible way for the successful conduct of the census in the month of May 2023. As Committee members, the above will require your sacrifice of time, energy and resources to achieve the above expectation” the Deputy Governor said.
Improvements in past census
The Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission for Gombe State, Mr Abubakar Mohammed Danburam, said recent census showed some tremendous improvement in their conduct, despite irregularities recorded during earlier censuses conducted in Nigeria.
He gave the assurance that the 2023 Population and Housing Census was going to be the best in accuracy and reliability because digital equipment and satellite imaging mechanisms were being adopted in the demarcating of Enumeration Areas.
According to Danburam, the Commission is fully ready to start preparations for the census based on the demarcation, pre-test, and trial census conducted.
He expressed confidence and hope that with the involvement of the state government, the census would be successful.
Emmanuel Ukoh
