Nigeria’s National Population Commission, (NPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conduct a credible and reliable population and housing census this year
The Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Kwarra, made this commitment in Makurdi, the Benue State capital in the North Central geo-political zone during a summit organized by the Commission to create awareness and sensitization on the housing and population census slated to hold after the general elections.
Mr Kwarra who informed participants at the summit that the Commission had adopted the use of biometric data technology in the conduct of the exercise appealed to traditional rulers and religious leaders to support the commission and to mobilize residents to be counted during the census exercise.
He assured Nigerians that preparations for the census exercise have gotten to a state of no return adding that the Commission was satisfied with the state-of-the-art digital equipment procured for use in the conduct of the census.
“We have developed digital maps for the conduct of the exercise. Every Nigerian would be counted where he resides. There will be no room for double capturing. The number of people we will capture will reflect the true position of the population of the country.”
The NPC boss commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his resolve to conduct the exercise despite the harsh economic realities and thanked Governor Samuel Ortom for personally attending the summit.
Governor Samuel Ortom who declared the summit open said the population census was necessary to tackle economic and security challenges in the country.
He charged the Commission to work closely with the traditional rulers and religious leaders in various Local Governments in the state for a hitch-free exercise
Governor Ortom who also commended the President for making funds available for the conduct of elections and the population census exercise cautioned Nigerians not to politicise the census exercise.
The Paramount ruler of Tivland and Chairman, Benue State Council of Chiefs, James Ayatse noted that the traditional institution in the state had been fully carried along in the processes embarked upon by the National Population Commission.
The Monarch maintained that from human effort, the commission had done its best in the process of preparation towards the successful conduct of the headcount exercise.
He assured him that the traditional institution in the state would mobilize everyone in the state to avail themselves to be counted during the exercise.
PIAK
