By Ayodele Oni
The proposed census by the National Population Commission, (NPC) for 2023 may be a mirage, despite assurance by President Bola Tinubu to support the NPC to conduct the botched census in the country.
The President who gave the assurance at the launch of the National Geospatial Data Repository, Digital CRVS System and inauguration of the National Coordination Committee for CRVS at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Wednesday, was silent on the actual date of the exercise.
The NPC had fixed the conduct of census for April this year, with all preparations put in place, but had to be shifted due to change of government at the federal level.
The immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari had released the sum of N200 billion to the Population Commission to conduct a national census.
Tinubu, while calling for collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, underscored the relevance of data to national growth.
He called on the census experts to deploy cutting-edge technology in gathering data on Nigeria’s population saying the nation cannot afford to lag behind in efficient data sourcing.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria has a lot to be grateful for because it is not prone to natural disasters.
According to him, “Collecting accurate and reliable information is an essential governance activity which is also consistent of our renewed hope agenda. The commission will therefore be supported in the conduct of the next census.
“May I, in a special way, thank the private solution providers for this laudable project and assure them that the Federal Government of Nigeria will always extend hand of partnership to all private investors that want to partner with this government at all levels.”
