2023 population census will be credible, acceptable, NPC Federal Commissioner assures

As the preparations for the conduct of 2023 population and housing census are in top gear towards efforts to deliver credible headcount, the Federal Commissioner of National Population Commission (NPC), Oyo State, Dr Eyitayo Oyetunji, has promised that the body will ensure that the census results are acceptable to Nigerians.

Dr Oyetunji also said that the quality of the data to be generated will definitely meet best international standards for planning and developmental purposes.

The Federal Commissioner gave these assertions at the opening ceremony of second level management training workshop held at House of Chiefs, State Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday.

The training workshop, which had State Directors, Comptrollers of Local Government Areas and other top management officers as participants, involved six states from the South West – Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos- as well as Kwara State.

The first level of the training had involved the NPC chairman and federal commissioners while the second level took place in consideration of the forthcoming trial census coming up in June, and is being conducted in all the six geopolitical zones in the nation.

In his address at the opening ceremony, Dr Oyetunji said that the training was to give participants a good understanding of the basic concepts on the census questionnaire before the trial census.

He also said that the workshop was to train the participants on detailed principles and methodologies for a successful census.

“This will provide the platform to adequately train the key census personnel at the state and local government levels. They shall be trained on the required management rules, regulations and procedures that are necessary for the implementation of census projects.

“Furthermore, taking into consideration the significant change in the way population and housing censuses are conducted due to the use of electronic data collection technologies, this workshop aims to teach the basic concepts terms of the questionnaire, and to know about the planning, principles, methodology and management of the census activities,” the Federal Commissioner explained.

He added that it also aimed at having a better understanding of the use of electronic data collection technologies, particularly the use of Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) devices.

Urging the participants to show commitment and dedication to the content of the training, he said it would help in achieving the objectives which presents an opportunity for them to grow in knowledge base and improve their job skills.
He also reiterated the Commission’s commitment to conducting a credible and acceptable census that would provide demographic data for sustainable national planning and development.

Dr Oyetunji expressed the hope that the deliberations of the workshop would impact positively on all aspects of preparations and execution of the 2023 population and housing census exercise.

On the issue of carrying out the census in 2023 when there would be general elections, the federal commissioner that this was considered, making the exercise to be fixed to a time after the elections would have been conducted.

It will be recalled that the last population census took place in 2006 and had been stalled in 2016 with the incoming of a new federal government administration.

To this the federal commissioner said the census was meant to be insulated from political involvement, and was the reason the trial census was moved from May to June this year, so that it would not overlap with political parties’ primaries.

“Also, in 2023, we have shifted the date of the census beyond the last presidential election. The census will not come up until all the elections have been conducted so that the census will be separated completely from the electoral process,” he stated.

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