The Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, has inaugurated an 18-member publicity Committee to facilitate more awareness and ensure the smooth conduct of the 2023 population census in the state.
The Deputy Governor made the inauguration at his office in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria.
According to him, the effort was part of the preparation of the exercise, recalling the outcome of the last exercise conducted in 2006 which has placed the state as the fourth most populous in the country.
He noted that the Sokoto state government has invested heavily in human capital development, social infrastructure, agricultural development and other socioeconomic activities.
” People need to know that Census goes beyond knowing population and geographic identification with information on sex, education, health, employment and migration status.
” Nigeria’s population with housing evaluation will no doubt put value to the data that will be used for human development and planning in all sectors,’‘ Dan’iya said.
He urged all residents in the state to continue to extend maximum cooperation to National Population Commission in its bid to deliver accurate and reliable demographic data planning.
The Deputy Governor charged committee members to make census information available to all residents “Every household within the boundary of Sokoto state is in dare need of knowing what census is all about and why census.”
Manir Daniya is heading the 18-member National Population and Housing Census State publicity committee in Sokoto state.
Earlier, the National Population Commission National Commissioner in charge of Sokoto state, Alhaji Chiso Abdullahi Dattijo, said the 2023 census will be conducted digitally using modern telecommunication instruments.
Dattijo, who was represented by the Director of Training, Alhaji Maiakwai Dogondaji, explained that the modalities adopted by the Federal Government were to constitute two main Committees to coordinate the conduct of the exercise.
“ The committees include; the state Population census security and logistics committee and the state population census publicity committee.
“The two committees have been mandated to deliberate, strategize and sensitize citizens on the conduct of the 2023 national population census in the State.
“ Similarly, the local government publicity committee has been constituted to ensure effective publicity coverage for the exercise at that level,” Dattijo said.
According to him, terms of references included that the committee would widely carry out an enlightenment and sensitisation campaign on the upcoming 2023 notional population and housing census.
The State Director of NPC, Alhaji Malami Marafa Gagi, enjoined members of these Committees to note the imperative of Census in nation building stressing that the need for advocacy, publicity and public enlightenment cannot be overemphasized.
“For every Country to develop, there is a need for accurate population data of its citizens to enable effective national planning, resource sharing and developments.
“It is my observation that members of these Committees were carefully selected based on professionalism and experience and therefore, I have no doubt that you would carry out the assignment to the best of your ability and in the best interest of the state.
“ The overarching vision of the 2023 census is to produce not only accurate, reliable and acceptable census data but also inclusive and user-friendly data that will be used by all segments of the society for development planning and critical programme interventions,” he said.
