Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: 2023 Census

  • Gov Ortom Calls For Postponement Of 2023 Census

    Gov Ortom Calls For Postponement Of 2023 Census

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and the leadership of the Middle Belt Forum have called for the postponement of the 2023 census until Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) in the North Central geopolitical zone are resettled.

    Ortom made this call when he hosted the leadership of the Middle Belt Forum who were in the state to commiserate with him over the killing of over 134 persons in one week.

    The attacks occurred in the Mgbam community in the Guma Local Government Area. The attacks were allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen in Apa, Otukpo and Guma areas of the state.

    The leadership of the Middle Belt Forum commiserated with the governor and used the occasion to appeal to the National Population Commission to shift the census start date from May 3, 2023, an appeal that resonated with the governor.

    According to Ortom, many lives have been lost to these attacks on benue communities in the last six years. He further explained that the state’s anti-grazing law subsists and will be enforced after a two-week of grace to allow herdsmen to exit the state.

  • 2023 Census: We Won’t Question Nigerians On Religion – NPC

    2023 Census: We Won’t Question Nigerians On Religion – NPC

    The National Population Commission (NPC) has said that the May 3rd population and housing census will not canvass questions on religious affiliation.

    NPC’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Isiaka Yahaya who was reacting to an audio tape going viral on WhatsApp that religious affiliations of respondents will be canvassed, said the decision to exclude religion along with ethnicity from the census questionnaire was taken in consideration of the sensitive nature of these issues within the Nigerian polity.

    He said in a statement;

    “The attention of the National Population Commission has been drawn to an audio tape going viral on the WhatsApp social media platform across the country which stated that the religious affiliations of respondents will be canvassed in the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

    “The audio tape calls on Muslims in Nigeria to see the purported canvassing of information on their religious affiliations as a tool to suppress their population figures. It therefore instructed adherents of the Islamic faith to resist any attempt to divide the religion of Islam by refusing to answer any question on their religious affiliations.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to state unequivocally that the 2023 Population and Housing Census will not canvass questions on religion and religious affiliations of respondents.

    “The decision to exclude religion along with ethnicity from the census questionnaire was taken in due consideration of the sensitive nature of these issues within the Nigerian polity and the need to save the census data from needless controversies and attention.

    “A fact check on the origin of the purported message shows that it was first circulated in Ghana during its 2021 population census exercise through a Whatsapp message. This negative message found its way into the Nigerian social media space in July 2022 when the Commission conducted the Trial Census.

    “The re-circulation of the message in audio form as the Commission sets to conduct the 2023 Population and Housing Census in May 2023 is an indication that some elements are bent on drawing the 2023 Census into unnecessary controversies through propagation of falsehood and incitement of a section of the population to destabilize existing peaceful coexistence in the country.

    “The Commission carried out extensive consultation with data users and stakeholders in coming up with the questions to be canvassed in the next census. The overarching goal of the questionnaire is to generate data that will facilitate sustainable development.

    “The questionnaire is robust and include demographic characteristics of respondents and other socio-economic characteristics but without any question whatsoever on religion and ethnicity.

    “Members of the general public are therefore enjoined to disregard the rumour of question on religious affiliation contained in the audio tape in circulation and extend maximum cooperation to the enumerators for the sake of delivering a credible, reliable and acceptable 2023 Population and Housing Census data for national development planning.”

  • 2023 Census: Bello urges media to be professional in dissemination of information

    2023 Census: Bello urges media to be professional in dissemination of information

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, has urged members of the FCT Publicity Committee of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census to exhibit professionalism in it’s discharge duty for proper information dissemination to the residents of the Territory.

    Bello gave the charge on Wednesday while inaugurating members of the FCT Publicity Committee on the 2023 National Population and Housing Census at the Merit House, Maitama District, Abuja.

    According the minister, Census is an essential element for National development and urged the Committee to ensure adequate information dissemination to all the nooks and crannies of the FCT.

    The Minister, represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, said the importance of the National Population and Housing Census for the socio-economic development of the nation can not be overemphasized.

    Adesola explained that the Census is an essential tool for both the FCT Administration and the Federal Government in planning for the provision of basic social amenities such as Schools, Hospitals, and Markets among others for the benefit of the residents.

    He said, “The successful conduct of the exercise will help the FCT Administration to sufficiently plan for the Agricultural sector, Education, and Health and will also assist in creating more jobs opportunity for the increasing population, especially for young people.”

    He however expressed dissatisfaction with the low turnout of residents in the just concluded 2023 general elections in the FCT, and challenged the Committee to adopt strategic models of communication to break the barrier of residents’ insensitivity to government programmes.

    He noted that adequate publicity of the activities leading to the National headcount will ensure the full participation of citizens, thereby, eliminating religious and cultural beliefs that could inhibit the success of the exercise.

    The Permanent Secretary stated that the forthcoming Census will enable the incoming Administration to plan for the provision of infrastructural needs of the populace.

    He, therefore, urged the Committee to see the assignment as a national duty
    assured that the FCT Administration will continue to partner with the National Population Commission to achieve its mandate.

    State Director of National Population Commission for FCT, Zakari Madiu, said the FCT Office of the Commission is determined to ensure a credible and acceptable Head Count, promising
    that no stone will be left unturned in its efforts toward a successful Census in the Territory.

    He urged the members of the Publicity Committee to fashion out ways of reaching hard-to-reach communities across the FCT.

  • NPC Schedules March 29 For Nationwide Population & Housing Census

    NPC Schedules March 29 For Nationwide Population & Housing Census

    The National Population Commission (NPC) has fixed the national population and housing census for March 29 to April 1, 2023.

    Nasir Kwarra, NPC Chairman, disclosed this while speaking with State House reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

    “By March 29 to April 2, our staff will be in the field enumerating people,” he said.

    Kwarra added that the technological tools to be deployed would be able to code building and landmass, detailing information such as location, landscapes among others.

    The NPC chairman, who said his commission would ensure a credible exercise, added that non-Nigerians would equally be counted so long as they are in the country at the time of the exercise.

    He said the exercise would be different from the previous ones marred by controversies with high end technology.

    Kwarra said, “From March 29 to April 2, our staff will be in the field enumerating people… This census is going to be different from past censuses. The theory and practice is essentially the same, but we are using high-end technology to conduct this census and it is such that nobody can tamper with any figure. Nobody will be counted more than once.

    “We are visiting households to do direct interface with the household, collect data and in the past, if you are doing an operational manually, it is very cumbersome, but this is being aided by technology and I believe it is going to be transparent and very fast and it is going to be verifiable because we are able to provide data up to local government, up to wards level. So, it is something that you can always verify.”

    Kwarra said the demarcation of enumerations areas had been completed.

    He said a portal had been opened by the commission to recruit ad-hoc staff for the conduct of the exercise, adding that people recruited will be deployed to work in their localities.

    The NPC chairman, while speaking on the security situation in parts of the country, expressed hope that the exercise could be conducted smoothly in the areas affected.

  • 2023 Census: Group to Unveil Special Monitors, Volunteers, Ambassadors for Sensitisation

    2023 Census: Group to Unveil Special Monitors, Volunteers, Ambassadors for Sensitisation

    A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the coordination of The Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) have agreed to set up a committee to search for eminent and credible Nigerians who will volunteer to serve as torchbearers in sensitising Nigerians on the need to actively participate in the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census.

    Addressing newsmen after the Coalition’s inaugural meeting held on Wednesday in Abuja, the spokesman for the Coalition, Joshua Gwebe who doubles as the Executive Secretary of organization informed the expectant members of the press community that the inter-agency advocacy strategy is all about sensitisation considering the importance of the census exercise to national development.

    According to him, “as CSOs, our job is unique and straightforward. We are known advocate for the masses, especially the voiceless. It is our duty, albeit a difficult one to constructively criticise, commend and change policy directions for the good of Nigerians. Today, we are once again agreeing with one voice that we shall work together to support the federal government because of the overwhelming importance of census to our national life”

    Comrade Gwebe similarly shed light on the composition of CSO/interagency Advocacy Committee which will be the vehicle to drive the massive sensitisation exercise throughout the country, adding that a country wide sensitisation campaign cannot be successful without a formidable team.

    “We intend to draw from a resourceful a pool of (35) eminent elder statesmen (former Senate presidents, Professor emeritus, religious leaders, eminent musical artists, sports men, eminent media practitioners, student union leaders, labour leaders. This committee is intended to serve as a bridge between the masses in all spheres of life and professions with far reaching impacts.

    “The elders statesmen will work on honorary basis without payment as a mark of national service” he stated. Already consultations are ongoing and the result are very impressive. The outlook is good and we are positive that our efforts will yield results”.

    The coalition finally enjoined the media to avail them their respective platforms for the promotion of the committee’s sensitisation efforts. In addition, the group called on all Nigerians to massively support the census exercise by participating and encouraging other to participate and support the NPC in any capacity possible.

  • FG To Recruit 1 Million Nigerians For 2023 Census – NPC

    FG To Recruit 1 Million Nigerians For 2023 Census – NPC

    The National Population Commission (NPC) has said a total of one million Nigerians will be recruited by the federal government for the conduct of the 2023 national census.

    The commission assured that a reliable technological innovation had been advanced by the NPC for the conduct of the exercise to prevent politicians and interested elite from hijacking or manipulating the process.

    The commissioner representing Ekiti at the NPC, Mr Deji Ajayi, said this in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, at a press conference heralding the trial census to be conducted in the state preparatory to next year’s main census exercise.

    The former Ekiti State’s head of service added that nine towns across nine local governments selected out of the 16 LGAs in the state, had been delineated into Enumerated Areas (EAs) to ease the trial census.

    He pointed out areas to be enumerated in the trial census as Ado, Emure, Iro, Ijero, Ikole, Iworoko, Ise, Ikun and Omuo Ekiti.

    Explaining the significance of census to nation building, Ajayi said population statistics would be used by private organisations to plan for the recruitment of young Nigerians by knowing the number of the active population.

    “The government will also use such statistics to plan for our youth, students and the health needs of Nigerians. They will also know the number of senior citizens who should be catered for.”

    Assuring that the exercise will be difficult to manipulate, the NPC boss said, “The biometric technology will capture your face and fingerprints and goes to the server and any similar information supplied will be noticed and expunged from the data immediately.