We need N222bn to conduct 2018 Census – NPC

The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPopC) Eze Duruiheoma has stated that the country would require about N222 billion to conduct the 2018 census.

He added that there is no substantial fund on ground with which the commission can start early preparation for the census.

He also disclosed that the N33billion appropriated for the Commission in the 2017 Budget is grossly inadequate for the running of a Commission with such an enormous task.

The Chairman further revealed that the 4,000 birth registrations centres across the federation are grossly inadequate if the country intends to maintain an up to date population register.

He made case for the establishment of additional registration centres especially in the rural communities so that birth registration will be an effortless exercise and eventually a habit.

The chairman made these remarks on Thursday in Abuja when he featured in a forum organized by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as reported by Premium Times.

Duruiheoma said: “If we have enough centres to collect the records of all births and deaths in the country, undergoing census may become a thing of the past in our nation.

“When we have the data of births and deaths, all we have to do is use this to update the population number by adding in the place of birth and subtracting in the place of deaths.

“If we have accurate data of births and deaths, the Federal Government will not need to spend billions of naira conducting head count in the country.

“Apart from the unavailability of adequate birth registration centres, paucity of funds has generally made the exercise unsuccessful.”

The chairman maintained that the commission needed N222 billion to conduct another census in the country.
He said that the census budget would cover the pre-census, census and post census phase, adding that the commission had presented the budget to the federal government for necessary approvals.

According to him, nothing tangible had been released to the commission to prepare for the 2018 proposed census.

He said that lack of funds had forced the commission to maintain and make use of files to obtain and preserve data rather than computer as obtained in other parts of the world.

The chairman said that the commission would continue to give advice to the government regarding census with the hope that it would act on it.

You may wish to note that the Census which was supposed to be conducted in 2016 was postponed to 2018 due to paucity of funds.