Ex-NPopC boss prescribes E-counting for census

Former Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPopC), Chief Eze Duruiheoma, has advocated the adoption of electronic counting for Nigeria in conducting future head counts.

Duruiheoma made the call in an interview in Abuja on Monday, observing that the use of technology is an indisputable antidote to challenges of over -counting in census.

“The problem of over -counting will be taken care of with technological inventions now that were not used in the 2006 census.

2006 is a distant time ago, meaning that between then and now, there have been significant technological changes to our advantage,” Duruiheoma said.

The former population commission chief explained that enumerators would be equipped with androids that would reject multiple counting of persons.

He expressed optimism that the next census would be seamless with adoption of technological innovations.

Duruiheoma, who called on the federal government to ensure adequate funding of the next exercise, noted that reliable census is costly, warning that if government decides to be thrifty with funds, then the nation may not get the best of the census.

Duruiheoma also said that the ongoing enumeration area demarcation was also a panacea to under-counting.

He explained that carving out of households and buildings for enumeration will go a long way to reduce the challenge of under counting and making census easy. (NAN)