The National Population Commission says it will hold the second phase of Enumeration Area Demarcation from February 22 to March 14 to ensure accurate census.
Chief Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), Chairman of the commission, announced this at a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that EAD is the division of the population of the country into small geographical areas to facilitate enumeration.
Duruiheoma described the procedure as one of the core preparatory activities for the census exercise.
Duruiheoma said the EAD constituted the foundation on which the entire census architecture stands.
He said: “It is the vehicle that drives the entire census process in the pre-census, actual enumeration and post enumeration period.”
The chairman, however, said the exercise was targeted at 29 local government areas in 29 states of the federation that were not covered in the first phase.
He recalled that the first phase of the EAD took place between November 26 and December 16, last year in one local government area in each of the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.
The chairman appealed to states and local government councils, traditional institutions and communities to support the commission by allowing unfettered access to facilities and places to be demarcated.
Duruiheoma said: “The commission has adopted a meticulous and gradual approach to the 2017 census EAD that allows for practical experimentation of the methodology and necessary adjustment in implementation and flexibility.
“Some of the States’ Local Government Areas that will be covered include Abia North in Abia; Yola North in Yola; Missau in Bauchi; Ogbia in Bayelsa; Funtua in Katsina and Mushin in Lagos, among others.
“The methodology of the exercise is designed to achieve full Geographic Information System (GIS) compliance.
“Furthermore, the commission will use full image map coverage of the whole country to ensure that no area is left undemarcated.
“The importance of the EAD goes beyond the conduct of the next census as it will provide the national frame for future censuses and surveys in the country.
“The assistance of local government councils and traditional institutions is being solicited in the provision of accommodation for the field staff.
“We also solicited the support of state government and security agencies to ensure adequate security of personnel and materials during the exercise.”
Duruiheoma said the commission was collaborating with UNICEF to leverage the EAD field work to register all unregistered children in the selected local government areas, especially for children under five.
According to him, the idea was conceived due to low level of birth registration in the country.
He said: “The idea was conceived because of the low birth level birth registration in the country especially under five children which stands at 30 per cent (NHIS 2013) with 70 per cent being unregistered.
“Exploring all opportunities to boost registration is paramount.”
NAN.
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