The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, on Thursday assured Nigerian citizens of adequate security during the exercise during the 2023 Population and Housing Census scheduled for April, 2023.
He gave the assurance, on Thursday, in Abuja, during a roundtable discussion on the 2023 Census organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
Baba, who was represented by DCP Dayo Ariyo said police will deploy resources to ensure a successful exercise.
He implored the National Population Commission (NPC) to carry out adequate sensitisation of the populace, saying that it’s very essential.
He said: “We will provide security for enumerators, materials and so on. By our structure we have police formations in all the 774 local governments of the federation.
“We have divisions, area commands, zonal commands and so on. Police will deploy both conventional and non-conventional resources. Aside that, we have other specialised units.
“We have intelligence unit who will be deployed for intelligence gathering before, during the exercise. Every section of the force will be deployed during the time of the census.”
In his remarks, the NILDS Director General, Professor Olanrewaju Sulaiman while noting that the proposed 2023 census is coming 17 years after, said there is a need to confront and understand the issues associated with this delay and those that were raised in the 2006 exercise especially by the international observers and foreign agencies.
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He also noted as envisaged that the growing insecurity in several parts of the country may significantly hamper the conduct of the census.
He therefore urged stakeholders to discuss these critical issues on the 2023 population census that will address the challenges that may influence the successful conduct of the exercise, enhance the synergy among government agencies and other relevant stakeholders and identify necessary legislative interventions that will enhance the conduct of population census in Nigeria.
“In recognition of the need to conduct a new census and have an accurate picture of the size and structure of its population that will ultimately help in planning, budget process and governance, President Muhammadu Buhari, through the National Population Commission has approved a new national census to be conducted in April, 2023.
“While this is a step in the right direction, there are several issues that may need to be critically assessed and considered to ensure a successful, acceptable and accurate census in accordance with global good practices as noted in a preliminary survey conducted by our Institute.
“The proposed 2023 census is coming 17 years after the last exercise. This is a violation of the UN recommended 10 years period. Therefore, there is a need to confront and understand the issues associated with this delay and those that were raised in the 2006 exercise especially by the international observers and foreign agencies.
“In addition, it is envisaged that the growing insecurity in several parts of the country may significantly hamper the conduct of the census. Other important issue that may shape the conduct of 2023 census is the use of ICT and the synchronisation of census data with other national identity databases in the country, such as the National Identity Number (NIN), Biometric Verification Number (BVN), Voters Identification Number (VIN), among others.
“Therefore, the primary objective of the round table is to provide a platform for key stakeholders to discuss these critical issues on the 2023 population census that will address the challenges that may influence the successful conduct of the exercise, enhance the synergy among government agencies and other relevant stake holders and identify necessary legislative interventions that will enhance the conduct of population census in Nigeria.
“As NPC continue it preparations towards the 2023 census, it cannot do so effectively without honestly interrogating the challenges identified in the report of the last exercise.
“Some of which are the politics of federal character, ethnicity and religious consciousness, record doctoring, geopolitics of resources, ineffective and insufficient census advocacy, among others as contained in some of the foreign agency’s reports,” Professor Suleiman noted.
On his part, the Head of Department of Statistics, University of Abuja, Dr Emmanuel Oguntade, urged the National Assembly to make necessary laws on census and allocate necessary funds so that the exercise can be conducted every ten years.
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Police assures Nigerians of adequate security during 2023 population census