The Senate has assured Nigerians that the much-awaited population and housing census scheduled for November 2024 will proceed as planned.
During the screening of 17 out of the 19 commissioner-nominees for the National Population Commission (NPC) in Abuja on Wednesday, February 7, Senator Abdul Ningi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, stated that most of the nominees are individuals who have been renominated.
Nigeria's last census was conducted in 2006 by the National Population Commission, which reported a population figure of 140 million.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration initially planned to conduct another census in 2022, but the program was postponed to 2023. However, the exercise was indefinitely suspended by Buhari shortly before leaving office, with the intention to allow President Bola Tinubu to announce new dates for the headcount.
Recently, Tinubu pledged his administration’s support for the upcoming census, emphasizing its necessity for crucial aspects of national planning.
Senator Ningi stressed the importance of political will in conducting the census, highlighting that Nigeria has not conducted a census in the last 11 years. He expressed confidence in the readiness of the National Population Commission and personnel for the census, emphasizing the need for the President to declare the census date to attract international support.
Ningi emphasized the significance of the census in national development, urging the nominees to understand the importance of their assignment. He emphasized that the essence of the census is to develop a mechanism for laying out a developmental plan that aligns with the aspirations of all Nigerian people, rather than fostering competition among ethnic groups.
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