NPC to conduct enumeration exercise in C/River

THE National Population Commission (NPC) has concluded arrangements for the third phase of the Enumeration area demarcation exercise in Cross River State.

The Commissioner representing Cross River in the NPC, Mr. Idi Baba Yakubu disclosed this while addressing trainees at Effraya, Etung local government of the state.

He said the exercise which is one of the core activities of NPC preparatory 2018 population and housing census, will kick start at Etung local government area.

Yakubu described the enumeration area demarcation exercise as the foundation for the entire census architecture that forms the basis for the planning and execution of the census project.

He said that to ensure a successful enumeration area demarcation exercise, NPC has commenced training of  50 persons.

The NPC federal commissioner said the trained team would be deployed to other local government areas and assured that barring fund constraints, the commission would complete the enumeration area demarcation in all local government areas before the end of this year.

This he said would be well ahead of the first quarter date for the twenty-eighteen national population and housing census.

He said the NPC has already demarcated thirty-seven local government areas across the thirty-six states and Abuja, with Calabar municipality in cross river state under the second phase of the exercise.

Mr. Yakubu acknowledged the significance of the ead as beyond the conduct of the twenty-eighteen census, stressing that NPC intends to establish and maintain a national frame including locality list and house numbering for future censuses and surveys, in line with its mandate.

The NPC commissioner explained that the commission would deploy sophisticated technology in carrying out the enumeration area demarcation exercise, to achieve full geographic information system compliance, while high resolution satellite imagery would be used to eliminate duplication as well as ensure that no area is left uncovered.

He further assured that the twenty-eighteen census would be bio-metric based and will capture the facial impression and fingerprints of persons during the census.

This according to him, was designed to discourage anybody or group from gaining undue advantage through manipulation of the  EAD, since only persons physically seen would be counted and their biometrics taken.

He appealed for support from the traditional institutions, local government councils and communities, to enable NPC carry out a hitch free enumeration area demarcation, through access to facilities and places during the exercise.