UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Nigeria and the National Population Commission (NPC) have restated their commitment toward conducting a feasible, accurate and all-inclusive census by April 2023.
The Country Representative of the Fund, Ms Ulla Mueller, made the commitment at a special news conference in Abuja Wednesday.
She assured the UN’s resolve to continue to support the National Population Commission in areas of advice and capacity building and described the census as a roadmap to Nigeria’s higher levels.
The UNFPA Nigeria boss, who said that everyone would be counted, emphasised the benefits of census as being key to transformational planning, reiterating the willingness of the UN to provide technical assistance for its success.
According to her, the census will take place and everyone will be counted at the right place for the benefit of all Nigerians, leaving no one behind.
She explained that “the role of the Fund is to facilitate and ensure the census is transparent, credible and of international standard.’’
The Executive Chairman of NPC, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, affirmed the readiness of the commission to conduct digital and scientific census in partnership with UNFPA.
Kwarra said the commission had so far trained enumerators on digital enumeration for accurate and quality census.
The NPC boss said a trial census is ongoing across the federation, with a view to getting ready for the proper census by April 2023.
He added that “we are conducting full enumeration in Toungo Local Government Area of Adamawa, with 339 enumeration areas representing the North East.
“Another one is at Afon Local Government Area of Ogun with 385 enumeration areas representing the South West; while Daura Local Government Area representing the North West has 492 enumeration areas.
“We are also conducting full enumeration in Karu Local Government of Nasarawa, Idemili South Local government of Anambra and Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, representing North Central, South East and South South.”
The chairman expressed optimism in the preparedness of the commission to deliver a credible census that would provide a baseline and guide Nigeria’s development plan.
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