2019 ELECTION; GROUP TASKS BUHARI ON CONDUCT OF CENSUS
As the twenty Nineteen (2O19) Nigerian general election draws near civil society organization, under the aegis of The Population Association of Nigeria (PAN)
has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct the National Population and Housing Census in 2018 and also provide all the necessary support for the smooth
conduct of the exercise next year.
PAN notes that in line with the United Nations Recommendation, the next census ought to have been conducted in 2016, being 10 years after the 2006 Census. However, further delay in the conduct of the next census beyond 2018 may undermine the planning process of the nation’s march towards sustainable development.
In a press release signed by Professor Peter Olasupo Ogunjuyigbe, President, Population Association of Nigeria and made available to Daily Times in Abuja the group lamented the inability of the Federal Government to conduct the population and housing census last year and stressed the need to do so in 2018 year for the benefits inherent for the nation.
PAN reiterated that no country can make any tangible progress towards sustainable development without timely, reliable and accurate census figure. He stated: “For any
developmental planning, census figure is paramount.
Population is dynamic and with the continuous inter-play of migration, mortality and fertility, population of an area will witness either an increase or decrease. So it becomes
imperative for all nations to conduct census regularly”.
It also noted that in spite of the recent proclamation of National Assembly towards the conduct of another census in 2018, there is nothing on ground to show that government is committed or is on the same page with National Population Commission. The Proclamation by Senate to have another census in 2018 is still waiting for the assent of the president without which international agencies are not likely to declare their own support for the exercise.
Also it stated that as a group, PAN acknowledges the dwindling resources at the disposal of the Federal Government, occasioned by recession and the huge resources required for
the next census, but that “however, this short term cost consideration should not prevent the nation from considering reaping the long term benefits of the census”.
The Association expressed confidence that the biometric based census being proposed by the Commission, if professionally and honestly handled, will produce authentic and verifiable demographic data and nip in the bud any tendency towards double or multiple enumeration of persons as alleged in virtually all past national censuses.
However, maintained that the Commission has commenced preparatory activities for the next census with the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) of one LGA in each of the
States and Abuja using satellite imagery.
The meticulous manner the exercise is being carried out will deliver an accurate, reliable and acceptable census frame if it is properly handled and can be completed within the year 2017.
Leadership of the Group noted that if the next census exercise is to be in the year 2018, one should be seeing the sign now; the horizon is not clear enough for anybody to see what government is doing towards having a credible census in 2018 as recommended by National Assembly.
It normally will take nothing less than two years to plan for a census that will
worth its salt for a country as huge as Nigeria. Census is not a simple exercise.
PAN also expressed its displeasure that “in Nigeria, much emphasis is placed on absolute number of persons residing in politically defined administrative area, forgetting the other invaluable role of census figures even for political activities. Information collected in a Census is a comprehensive source of data for developmental planning and goes beyond the comparison of which State or LGA has higher population size. It remain for any nation a very important data source that has not been replaced yet by any other source. Without accurate census, governments at various levels”
