2023 Population Census Not Postponed Coz Of Lack Of Funds…We Acted In Good Faith-NPC Top Official

The postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census was not due to lack of funds as wrongly promoted in some quarters , the NPC   Federal Commissioner  in   Plateau state, Mrs. Cecilia Dapoet, has said.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned Cecilia , who spoke  during the meeting held with stakeholders in Jos on Friday,  said the NPC  actually postponed the population census to save Nigeria from a national crisis.

‘The Census exercise was earlier scheduled to hold between May 3 and 7, 2023, but it was postponed, giving rise to many insinuations in the public space regarding the reason for the postponement and even though they are mere speculations, they had been given media attention.

The Commission is compelled to take necessary steps to correct the impression that the 2023 Population and Housing Census were postponed because of lack of funds.

The real reason is not money, but government’s transition programme and post-election mood in the country. We all saw the cloud of uncertainty that hung above the nation after the elections and we were careful not to fall into some pitfalls and plunge the country into more trouble. We cannot take things for granted, and decided to postpone the exercise’ she  submitted.

The Commissioner expressed optimism that the postponement of the national census would afford the President Bola Tinubu administration to prepare adequately for the exercise.

Dapoet ,who however assured that the NPC would conduct  the first digital census in Nigeria whenever a new date is fixed,  added that ‘presently, we have purchased the handheld devices to be used to capture data and are safely stored at the Central Bank in Jos. This also means the software is ready for use’.

‘Presently, we are also getting our new leaders acquainted with the methodology and processes adopted for the current Census exercise.

We are using the opportunity offered by this postponement to re-assess our Census Work-plan and to inject any input that would add value to the strategies for implementing the methodology for optimal success.

We need to reassure you that the coming Census will not be like the previous exercises which were marred by incidents of undercounting, multiple counting and inaccurate enumeration leading to Lack of trust in the census data and making it difficult to use such for planning and development purposes.

We have also put some measures in place to curtail incidents of political interferences with the census process’ she submitted.

Also speaking, the Plateau state Director of the NPC, Mrs. Felicia Mwolpun, urged the citizens to cooperate and support the Commission  in order  to achieve its goals-Team@orientactualmags.com
Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you