The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated 16 Post Enumeration Survey (PES) laptops to National Population Commission (NPC) to support the continued progress of Nigeria’s 2023 housing and population census
While presenting the laptops to NPC in Abuja, the Country Representative, UNFPA Nigeria, Ms Ulla Mueller said Census-taking is a priority to national development: “Today’s occasion is not just about handing over of the Laptops. It’s also an opportunity to renew our long term and productive partnership and dedicate ourselves to serving assiduously in the roles and responsibilities accorded us by our respective institutions towards improving the welfare of the people of Nigeria. Despite a seven years’ delay, the Nigeria 2023 Population and Housing Census is billed to be transformative in its agenda and process, buoyed by the extensive use of digital technology to ensure transparency and credibility as well as quality results. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is delighted to identify with the 2023 Census agenda, continuously providing an enabling environment to ensure that it is embedded in the SDGs framework, ICPD goals, Agenda 2063 and the Nigerian national development vision – all of which emphasize the dire need for up-to-date data pertaining to individual circumstances and ensure that we Leave No One Behind in making key decisions.”
According to Mueller, the UNFPA brings to the Nigeria 2023 Census high-level technical expertise, comparative advantages in operational intelligence and best practices collated from decades of work in more than 150 countries.
“I’m aware that NPC has already put the right structures and work programme in place and are farther along in the process to ensure the successful implementation of the PES as well. Nigeria 2023 Census needs a good PES. It is to be understood that the PES, just like the Census, will be transformational – fully digital and employ methodological and technological innovations to guarantee quality and timely results, and conducted up to international standards”.
She further solicited more support from partners and stakeholders
“We continue to urge other development partners and stakeholders, including the media, to support the 2023 Census process in various ways, including communicating unequivocally and substantively on the Census agenda, and to objectively moderate or facilitate national and local-level discourses to mobilise support for the process”.
Responding to the gesture the NPC Chairman, Nasir Isa Kwarra, disclosed that the holding of the 2023 national housing and population census, is likely to be shifted due to the rescheduled state elections, from March 11, to March 18 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mr Kwarra explained that conducting a PES gives credibility to Census results.
“As preparations intensify for a credible 2023 Census, the Commission has placed a high premium on the PES. This is evident in the Commission’s inauguration of an 18-man team in April 2022 to plan and implement the 2023 PES. The presentation of these laptops today not only further affirms the importance of the PES to the entire Census process, but also reaffirms the UNFPA’s commitment towards the success of the 2023 Post Enumeration Survey (PES) and the 2023 Population and Housing Census (PHC) at large. I am delighted to receive with thanks and appreciation the gift of these 16 (sixteen) sLaptops and Accessories from the UNFPA. I wish to assure you that these laptops will be put to effective use towards executing the agenda of the 2023 PES.”
PIAK
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