The National Population Commission has stated of its focus to ensure that all resources expended are safeguarded ahead of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in the country.
NPC Federal Commissioner, Darlington Okereke disclosed this at a breakfast meeting with Media Executives on Friday in Abakaliki,Ebonyi state.
Okereke while briefing the media on the state of the preparations for the national census,said the commission was safeguarding resources to avoid starting all over again when a new date is fixed.
“We also gathered to enlighten you on the next steps forward in the light of the postponement of the conduct by the former President,” he stated.
The Commissioner however stated that all preparations for the census, including Enumeration Area Demarcation and pre-tests and trial census have been completed.
“We have conducted recruitment and training of census field staff, procurement and configuration of Personal Digital Assistants, establishment of ICT infrastructures and logistics support, advocacy and publicity activities.
“The most important task before the commission is to sustain and reinforce the relevance of these activities to the successful conduct of the 2023 census.
“This will ensure that the nation does not have to start afresh the preparations, thereby saving cost.
“The Commission has laid solid foundation for future censuses,” Okereke added.
He further explained that the Federal Government would determine the new date for the census.
In his remarks, the Director of the Commission in Ebonyi, Mrs. Julia Manyike, thanked the media for their support in ensuring a credible and reliable census exercise in all states of the federation.
Manyike urged all stakeholders in the state to be supportive and work together to achieve a successful exercise.
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari postponed the Population and Housing Census from the initial May 3 to to a new date to be determined by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Credit: Anambra People
