Reps urge FG to conduct national census before end of 2020

The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to consider the preparation for the conduct of national census before the end of 2020.

The House said that the exercise was long overdue and very unfortunate that Nigeria has relied solely on projections by foreign bodies on her population figures for planning, adding that it was extremely important to conduct a new national census.

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Hon. Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos), who moved the motion, described population census as an important national assignment because its figures are critical for national planning.

He said the lack of accurate data on the population of Nigeria has been affecting national planning and development at all levels and therefore asked the House to compel the National Population Commission to come up with a comprehensive timetable for the conduct of the census.

He said further that since the first census was held in Lagos in 1866, there had been a trend towards better planned and more reliable census exercises as subsequent census exercises, adding however that the 1952/1953 census was the first modern, national and carefully planned census in the country and the outcome was generally accepted.

The Nation reports that Hon Kuye expressed concern that the last national census was conducted in 2006, adding that until it becomes mandatory to conduct census at given intervals like elections, Nigeria will continue to have delays in organizing national census.

He disclosed that it has become extremely important to conduct another census to ascertain the country’s actual population in order to do away with projected figures, a development that will enable the Government to plan better for the citizens.

The House resolved to ask the Federal Government to put an end to the uncertainties surrounding the nation’s actual population by putting in place necessary machineries to conduct the national census not later than 2020.