NPC set for 2022 census, conducts pre-test exercise in Ekiti

Ahead of the 2022 census, the National Population Census (NPC), has charged staff, officials and management team that will be participating in the pre-test exercise, to be professional and ensure the success of the exercise.

The NPC federal Commissioner, Mr Ayodeji Ajayi, spoke in Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday, while declaring open a workshop training for the trainers, enumerators, supervisors and controllers that will be participating in the second census pre-test exercise slated to begin later in the year.

According to him, the exercise which will be conducted in all the 36 states of the federation simultaneously including Abuja, is a follow up to the one earlier conducted by the Commission earlier this year.

While welcoming the census pre-test management team and all participants to the exercise, the NPC Federal Commissioner recalled that the Commission has earlier conducted the first pre-test exercise to test-run the census instruments.

He noted that it was as a result of the continued efforts of the Commission to improve on its readiness for the 2022 census that makes it resolve to conduct the second pre-test exercise as an integral part of the preparation for the fieldwork exercise.

According to him, “Pre-test is usually conducted before the actual census and is primarily aimed at testing the census methodology, questionnaires, data collection methods, manual for fieldwork among others.

“Other importance of the exercise mentioned by him are logistics support from states and local government areas, adequacy of techniques adopted for advocacy, examination of the relationship between Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) estimated population and adequacy of the data capture method adopted to mention a few.

” In carrying out this pre-test exercise, about 444 Enumeration areas per state and Federal Capital Territory in all the local government areas and States of the Federation demarcated between 7th to 17th phases of the EAD will be involved.

“In Ekiti State, we are working in Ikere, Efon local governments which are one town council areas, others are Ilejemeje and Ekiti West local governments, as well as other towns like Okemesi, Aramoko, Erinjiyan, Iye, Ewu and Iludun towns.

While expressing his optimism on the success of the outcome of the pre-test exercise, however, reiterated that the commission would ensure proper train of supervisors and the enumerators that would be participating in the exercise.

“It must be emphasised that the quality of the personnel for the pre-test has a great impact on its outcomes. The need to properly train the facilitators who will in turn train the supervisors and the enumerators at the zonal and state levels cannot, therefore, be overemphasised.

“May I restate that, getting the pre-test right is not just an option but an absolute necessity in our quest to deliver to the nation an accurate, reliable, acceptable and verifiable census. It is in this regard that the commission will leave no stone unturned in order to ensure that the second pre-test for the next census is carried out meticulously, professionally and scientifically in order to provide the basis for the smooth conduct of the next census,” he said.

He appealed to the traditional institutions and community leaders on the need to support the commission in carrying out the exercise by allowing unfettered access to facilities and places to be enumerated.

Ajayi equally make a passionate appeal for all stakeholders to refrain from undue interference in the exercise, urged field functionaries to be allowed to carry out their duties professionally and give the nation a good outcome that will help the commission in its effort to prepare for a successful census.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

FALSE! Yoruba Not An Official Language In Brazil

Claim: A national newspaper and multiple online platforms claim Brazil has adopted Yoruba as its official language and that the language would be included in primary and secondary schools curriculum.

Verdict: The claim is false. The content of the article published by these online platforms is not new; it has been recirculated several times and has been debunked.