How Kwarra’s Strides, Government Endorsement is Resolving Population Census in Nigeria
By Abubakar Yusuf
In 2022, The National Population Commission (NPC) under Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra will take Nigeria from 15 years down line to compete with developing and developed countries, with a plan to conduct this year’s population and housing census across the country.
Government through an enabling environment has provided funding and other ancillary supports to ensure that its mandate of an up-to-date census figure and data in Nigeria is not derailed, in view of the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
The 2022 budget significantly prioritized the need for a brand-new population and housing census before the end of the year, that is devoid any encumbrances.
The body language of the present administration since the appointment of the new leadership in NPC showed its readiness to take the country towards a generally acceptable census figure that will put to rest the unreliable and unrealistic figure being bandied over the years.
This is along with foreign partners who are readily available to collaborate, synergise and work hand in hand with the new commission, with a view to producing an incontrovertible and non-controversial population and housing census results and data across the country this year.
The readiness of government to provide funding and logistics as required by law, and to ensure a hitch free exercise was without any administrative bottle necks towards a census free exercise.
These positive strides is already complemented by the leadership of NPC under Nasir Isa Kwarra with the first and second pre-test census successfully carried out in the country as a prelude to the real exercise.
The success recorded in the two separate pre-tests census that led to full accomplishment in 772 out of 774 local government areas in Nigeria was unique in all ramifications.
The second pre-test held in 148 local government areas across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria was beyond contemplation, as the one week exercise showed the ability of the current handlers to take Nigeria to a new head count in line with its mandate.
The generally embraced mapping out of Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) exercise earlier carried out in collaboration with foreign partners like UNFPA, UNDP, DFID, UNICEF, Bills and Melinda Gates Foundation and others , as part of the basic demands and requirements for population and housing census data in Nigeria, was another milestone towards this year’s census.
With a highly motivated and trained staff in modern technology and equipment line with the present order of information and communication technology ICT, showed a lot of willingness on the part of NPC to deliver on its mandate.
Staff orientation and reorientation through trainings and capacity buildings, workshops and talk shops had prepared the commission for the uphill task in 2022.
With leadership that are not leaving any stone unturned under Nasir Isa Kwarra and his commissioners who are working round the clock to ensure a seamless exercise, Nigeria and Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief with a new population census figure that had being the determinant of our modern template of development and advancement in line with the best practices.
The management of NPC is putting finishing touches with a view to ensuring a hitch free exercise, through many partnerships that will result in a positive outcome after about 15 years of the last census and accurate data in Nigeria.
The current patriotic moves under Kwarra’s NPC will resolve various social, economic and even political problems bedeviling the country spanned for over one decade, that had affected the growth and development of the country in all facets of our national life.
All hands must be on deck by both local and international bodies, stakeholders and other voluntary agencies to rally round NPC in its quest to ensuring a generally acceptable outcome.
2022 will go down in history under kwarra, inspite of health, economic and social disequilibrium confronting the global world,with Nigeria not in exception.
Abubakar Yusuf writes from Kano.
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