The National Population Commission (NPC) FCT on Wednesday told Nigerians that despite the postphonment of the 2023 population and housing census, it is still not resting from making adequate arrangement to ensure its sucess when it eventually kick- off any time soon.
NPC FCT Commissioner, Hon Joseph Shazin Kwali stated this while briefing newsman in Abuja during a breakfast meeting to update the public on status of 2023 Census.
According to him, the postponement has given the commission more opportunity to further perfect its processes and systems for the conduct of the first ever digital census adding that processes and systems put in place are currently being reviewed to determine what needs to be done to ensure that the preparations do not become obsolete for the census.
He added that already, the commission has carried out all preparatory activities towards the census such as the Enumeration Area Demarcation, conduct of pre-tests and trial census, recruitment and training of census field ataf, procurement and configuration of personal digital assistants (PDAs), establishment of ICT infrastructures across the country and logistics support and advocacy and publicity activities”
” We have also laid a solid foundation for future census this informed the scope and quality of arrangement put in place. For instance the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) which involves the division of the country into small lands areas was meticulously undertaken in such a way that only an update will be required for future census using satellite imageries, the Enumeration Areas were all Geo referenced with the coordinates of all building established.
“The recruitment of the adhoc workers has been completed before the postponement through a rigorous on-line process in which about one million workers have been screened and found worthy of the assignment. The data base of all the recruited personnel including their contact details are available for the next census this is in addition to about 500,000 personnel digital assistant acquired by the commission and delivered to the 36 states office and FCT. Adequate arrangment is also being mase dor the aecueiry ans storage of the equipment to prevent damage and theft.
Dr. Kwali however assured of the commission readiness for the census through massive advocacy and publicity carried out both at the national and state levels with publicity materials translated into different local languages. ” The Commission will continue to carry out advocacy to ensure that the census messages remain at the centre of national discourse.
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