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From Fred Itua, Abuja
National Population Commission (NPC), on Friday, said the N200 billion spent so far for preparation of the national population and housing census was between 2014 and 2023, covering a period of nine years.
The Commission at a news conference, said it was reacting to claims that the Commission had squandered N200 billion in just one year (2023).
In May, the Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, in a meeting with media executives in Abuja, announced that N200 billion had been spent for the conduct of the census. However, the NPC at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, said it was true that N200 billion has been spent on census but that the money expended was between 2014 and 2023.
Director Public Affairs, NPC, Isiaka Yahaya, while briefing newsmen, stated that part of the N200 billion was expended before the coming of the present Commission, which was inaugurated twice between 2018 and 2020 and even before the inception of the Buhari-led Administration.
He said: “It has become necessary to set the records straight and put into proper context the expenditure of 200 Billion Naira by the National Population Commission in preparation for the 2023 Census. Consistent with global practice and inspired by an unswerving commitment to positively rewrite the history of census in Nigeria, the Commission opted to conduct a digital census deploying technology on a massive scale.
“In a country struggling with acute infrastructural deficit, this massive undertaking can not come cheap but at a huge cost. Yes, it is true that N200 billion has been spent on preparations for the 2023 Census so far. However, this fund was not expended in the last few weeks, months or years but rather since 2014 when preparations for the 2023 Census actually began.
“Indeed, part of the N200 billion was expended before the coming of the present Commission, which was inaugurated twice between 2018 and 2020 and even before the inception of the Buhari Administration.
“Even before the conduct of the census, the outcome of the preparatory activities is already yielding dividends that are far in excess of the N200 billion spent so far. The Commission generated the largest volume of geospatial data from the EAD in which every building in Nigeria has been captured and geo-referenced.
“The monetary value of this data alone runs into trillions of Naira. This has also provided Enumeration Area frames that can be used for future censuses and surveys. Through the recruitment exercise for the census, the Commission has generated a data base of young persons who applied for the census jobs with information on their names, ages, qualifications, addresses, phone numbers and account numbers. These are valuable information that can be used for youth empowerment programmes and other social welfare programmes.
“The skewed media narratives behind the N200 billion expended in preparation for the forthcoming census is an attempt to divert national attention from the great work the Commission has done and is doing to deliver a world-class census data for development planning.
“The items for which the sum of N200 billion was expended are available, verifiable and remain useful for the next census anytime it is to be conducted. The scope and quality of arrangements put in place will not only be useful for the next census but also makes future censuses less expensive. The Commission wishes to assure Nigerians and indeed development partners of its irrevocable commitment and competence to deliver a credible, reliable and acceptable census data.
“In conclusion, I wish to state unequivocally that the Commission has nothing to hide as regards the preparatory activities for the Census. The implementation of the Census project is being carried out in a professional and transparent manner; therefore, the Commission is open to inquiry and is ready to offer clarification if the need arises.”
