Journalists tasked on supporting quest for acceptable 2023 census

By Stanley Onyekwere

Media Professionals are enjoined to support the National Population Commission (NPC), to achieve reliable, accurate and acceptable, 2023 Population and Housing Census in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

This charge was given by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello at a recent one-day capacity building workshop organised for Journalists on the conduct and effective reporting of the 2023 Population and Housing Census by National Population Commission in Abuja Nigeria’s capital with the theme: “ Getting the people involved”.

According to him, “without an accurate data of the population and housing demographic in a country, the nation will not be able fully develop because you would have nothing to rely on when planning for the socio-economic and educational development of the country.”

Bello, who was represented by the Director, Information and Communication of the FCTA, Mohammed Sule Hazat, said the Administration is working closely with traditional institutions and local authorities in the Territory to fully sensitise the residents especially those in rural communities on the importance of availing themselves and their households for the enumerators to be counted during the exercise.

Also, the Minister explained that the workshop will build in the participants, capacity and the skills to enable them effectively and efficiently reports events, activities geared towards a successful national census.

While noting that, the 2023 National Population and Housing Census is critical for the advancement of Nigeria, the Minister stressed that it is, therefore, very important that adequately attention be paid for its conduct in order to ensure its success.

On his part, the Federal Commissioner in charge of FCT-NPC, Mr. Joseph Shazin Kwali explained that with the approval of the President for the conduct of the next Population and Housing Census in 2023, preparations are in top gear for the successful implementation of the census project Census.

He opined that it is a national event and is the responsibility of every citizen to participate by presenting themselves to be counted.

Shazin further explained that the Commission will no doubt, need the support of all stakeholders to deliver to the country a credible and reliable data it can use for sustainable development planning.

He said, “ Over the years, the Commission has invested considerable time and resources planning for the census by drawing from its rich institutional experience spanning two censuses and a pool of tested professionals to give the nation a truly digital and scientific census that will generate data for national planning within the context of our present realities.

“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 774 LGAs in all the States of the federation and the FCT”.

The Federal Commissioner disclosed that, the Commission has also conducted the first and the second census pre-test exercises to test the census instruments in preparation for the census added that the trial census has been conducted in June 2022.

He added that 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.