By Daniel Edu
The National Population Commission (NPC) is joining forces with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to enhance data quality for the upcoming population and housing census. NPC Chairman Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, along with the organization’s management team, visited the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju-Kennedy Ohanenye, in Abuja to discuss the collaboration.
During the visit, Kwarra highlighted the critical role played by the Ministry of Women Affairs in areas such as child welfare, gender issues, disability, and other social matters. He emphasized that population census is vital for the ministry’s mandate, providing essential demographic data categorized by age, sex, education, disability, and more.
Kwarra outlined the preparatory activities undertaken by the commission for the upcoming census, including the demarcation of 774 local government areas, pre-tests, trial census, identification and mapping of special populations, advocacy, and engagement with stakeholders.
The NPC Chairman also mentioned the commission’s geospatial data, which has mapped all physical infrastructure in the country, including households and facilities where women and children reside. Additionally, he revealed plans to collaborate with the ministry on a situational analysis of vulnerable children in the country.
Expressing gratitude for the reappointment of some federal commissioners by President Bola Tinubu, Kwarra affirmed the commitment of NPC to work collaboratively.
In response, Minister Ohanenye affirmed the ministry’s readiness to partner with the commission, emphasizing the mutual benefits of the collaboration. She highlighted the importance of coming together to address critical challenges at the grassroots level and expressed her passion for transforming the lives of people.
Ohanenye acknowledged the need for training and empowerment to reduce poverty, expressing confidence in the NPC’s intelligence to improve data for the ministry’s programs. She assured judicious use of resources and emphasized the importance of planning for effective collaboration.
