We’re leaving no stone unturned to ensure 2023 census – NPC Commissioner

By Gbenga Olarinoye, Ilorin

The Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC) in charge of Kwara State, Hon. AbdulRazak Gidado on Tuesday hinted the commission was leaving no stone unturned at ensuring that the postponed 2023 Population and Housing Census hold before the end of the year.

Gidado gave the hint during a meeting with the Media Executives held at the commission head office in Ilorin, Kwara state capital.

The commissioner disclosed that all efforts are being made by the commission to ensure that the present administration buys into the exercise and picks a new date.

“We are doing everything possible and maybe meeting with Mr. President anytime from now to brief him about our activities and arrangements for the exercise. We are not leaving any stone unturned regarding the proposed exercise,” he said.

The commissioner explained that the commission welcomed the decision of the immediate past administration to postpone the exercise and made known that the postponement had also given the commission the opportunity to further perfect its processes.

“The Commission welcomes the decision of the Federal Government to postpone the conduct of the census in order to give the new administration the opportunity to have input into the census process. The postponement has also given the Commission the opportunity to further perfect its processes and systems for the conduct of the first-ever digital census.

“As you are aware, the Commission has carried out all the preparatory activities towards the census such as the Enumeration Area Demarcation, the conduct of pre-tests and trial census, recruitment, and training of census field staff, procurement and configuration of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), the establishment of ICT infrastructures across the country and logistics support and advocacy and publicity activities.

Gidado said the commission was conscious of the enormous human and material resources that have been expended in the implementation of the preparatory activities.

“For us at the Commission, this is not a difficult task. In coming up with the plan for the 2023 Census, the Commission was not only looking at the immediate needs of delivering the next census but concerned more with laying a solid foundation for future censuses. This mindset informed the scope and quality of arrangements put in place,” said the NPC boss.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in the state, Ahmed Lanre, lauded the commission for transparency in discharging its activities and pledged the support of Journalists in the state.