From Fred Itua, Abuja
The National Population Census (NPC), said it has successfully demarcated 772 out of 774 local government areas across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of next year’s national population census,
Chairman of the commission, Nasir Isa Kwarra, at a workshop for journalists covering population census, said only two local government areas in Borno were yet to be demarcated. and attributed the delay to insecurity in the region, but promised it will be done soon.
He said the commission has also conducted the first and the second census pre-test exercises to test the census instruments in preparation for the census next year. He said the trial census will be conducted in June this year.
“I am pleased to inform you all that the outcome of the preparatory activities of the 2023 population and housing census has been reassuring. The commission has successfully demarcated 772 councils in all the states of the federation and the FCT, the remaining two councils of Abadam (Borno State) and Birning Gwari (Kaduna State) which has not been demarcated as a result of security challenge will be demarcated very soon.
“The commission has also conducted the first and the second census pre-test exercises to test the census instruments in preparation for the census. The trial census will be conducted in June this year.
“The commission is on course in its mission of delivering an accurate census to Nigerians and a strategic partnership with the media will form the tripod upon which the census architecture will stand to reach-out to the Nigerian people.
“Therefore, the convening of this training workshop for the NPC press corp is one of such engagements and it underscores the determination and commitment of the commission to conduct a successful population and housing census in 2023 by engaging you the media to effectively mobilise the citizenry by ‘getting the people involved’.
“Over the years, members of the NPC press corp have used their various platforms to advance positively the activities of the commission to the world.
“It is with this understanding that the present commission is convinced that building the capacity of the press corps and deepening your understanding of the census process will, no doubt, enhance the productivity of individual correspondents in reporting even more positively the activities of the commission to the Nigerian people before, during and after the census.
“The goal of this workshop is to share with you the vision of the commission and draw on your support to ensure broad-based national cooperation for the implementation of the activities of NPC, especially the census in 2023,” he said.