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  • 2018 Census: No going back on preparations, NPC tells Dogara

    The Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, Eze Duruiheoma, has said despite calls in some quarters for a postponement of the proposed 2018 census, the Commission will go ahead with scheduled plans.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Duruiheoma was reacting to calls by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to postpone the census after the 2019 election year.

    Dogara noted that since the census can’t be achieved in 2017 (this year), there was no need conducting it a year to the general elections as politicians would take undue advantage of the window of opportunity made available by the census to maneuver figures for their selfish political gains.

    In his words: “I won’t advise anyone to conduct a national census in 2018. I said it before that if we are not going to achieve it in 2017, then we should just forget it until after 2019. If you conduct a census just before the elections, there will be so much pressure, crisis and a lure for people to manipulate the figures for political reasons, such that the agency cannot even cope with.

    “So, it is better for a fresh administration to conduct this exercise from the beginning of that administration when we do not have any pressure of elections in sight. Then we may have something that resembles reality, but I can bet on it that if the census is conducted in 2018, the outcome will be unreliable. Seriously speaking, because I know who we are and I know the kind of litigation, backlash and the pressure that come with this kind of exercise and we don’t need that now to be candid.”

    However, Duruiheoma had while reacting to the speaker’s position said the commission will go ahead with its plans because the Federal Government has not called for the cancellation of the census.

     

    Speaking in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday on the stand of the commission, Duruiheoma said: “The NPC is an agency of government. Whatever we say, whatever we do, we give it to government; government reacts and directs us. The Speaker (Dogara) is entitled to his views, any other person is also entitled to his or her views. That is where we are. We are supposed to be an umpire.

    “We have not been asked not to go on with preparations, so we will continue to prepare. In any case, even if it is to be held in 2020 or 2021, there has to be preparations. I expect government to direct us.”

    The NPC boss added, “If the census will take place in 2030, there has to be some preparations. Preparation is a regular thing. It is not an election. Even if it is an election, you have to prepare for it.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Commission had proposed that conducting the census next year will cost the nation an estimated N272bn and this has attracted severe criticisms.

  • 2018 census to cost N272bn – NPC

    The proposed 2018 national population census will cost an estimated N272bn, the Director-General of the National Population Commission, Dr. Ghaji Bello, has said.

    Bello told a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that the Federal Government was expected to fund the exercise by only 51 per cent while the international donor community would fund the remaining 49 per cent.

    “The submission we have made to the Federal Government is in the region of N272bn. But the good thing is that that the N272bn is not for one single year.

    “It is spread along a four-year tenure. There’s pre-census activities, that is the preparation; the actual census proper itself and the post-census enumeration activities.

    “So maybe you are looking at an average of maybe N40bn in the first year, another N100bn during the actual census itself and then the balance during the last year.

    “But the beauty again is that not all the resources are normally provided by the government of the federation.

    “The international community does come in and supporters like EU, USAID ; from the previous record that we have, the ratio is 51 to 49 per cent.

    “The 51 per cent is provided by the Federal Government while the 49 per cent is provided by the international donor community.

    “Therefore, it is something that once government makes a proclamation, then it means that the country is ready and the international community will come and support the government,” he said.

    Bello also said there was the need for the government to leverage on the international community to help with the necessary assistance, adding that this would go a long way in defraying the cost.

    “Normally, there is no country that does census on its own and more so, it is a very capital-intensive activity. Funding is important because we have to demarcate.

    “There is an exercise that is called Enumeration Area Demarcation which is supposed to be the foundation or the building block of census.

    “And that is supposed to be carried out in every hamlet, every village, every local government, every household and then the entire nation.

    “That is normally a costly exercise, very expensive. And of course, up till now we have only been able to do 74 local governments out of 774.

    “It means we have done only 10 per cent. So for us to be able to do the remaining 700 local governments, it means there is a lot of work to do.

    “Essentially we are on track; we have the capacity in-house but again there are quite a number of things, unless you are funded, you won’t be able to move forward,’’ Bello said.

    According to him, census will enable the government to have correct data about its citizens in order to aid proper planning.

    “That planning means you are going to optimise in terms of your allocation of resources to those sectors that really need that intervention.

    “Census has implication for trade, for manufacturing and for security because we will have the biometrics of every Nigerian.

    “Then it means making life easy for security outfits like the police, EFCC, ICPC and the military because you can monitor even the scene of crime from the data that you have collected.

    “So serious countries actually collect data and it is the data that they use in order to govern their society,” he said.

     

     
    NAN

  • Osinbajo swears in five NPC commissioners

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday swore in five commissioners of the National Population Commission (NPC).

    The event was held at the Council Chamber before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja.

    Those who took oath of office were Eyitayo Oyetunji, Benedict Ukpong, Haliru Bala, Patricia Iyanya and Gloria Izonfo.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had in line with Section 154 (1) of the Constitution forwarded their names to the National Assembly.

    The Senate had also confirmed the quintet for the appointments.

  • Senate confirms 5 board members for NPC

    Senate confirms 5 board members for NPC

    The Senate on Tuesday approved the nomination of five persons to serve on the board of National Population Commission (NPC).

    The approval follows the committee’s report which was submitted to committee of the whole by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi representing Kaduna North Senatorial district.

    In the report, the committee submitted that the nominees, having passed through rigorous screening, were cleared.

    “That the Senate do consider the report of the Committee on National Identity Card and National Population Commission on the screening of the nominations of persons for appointment as Commissioners for National Population Commission,” Senator Suleiman said.

    The approved members are:

    1. Engr. Benedict Ukpong. Akwa Ibom State
    2. Gloria Fateya Izonfuo. Bayelsa State
    3. Barr. Kupchi Patricia Ori Iyana. Benue
    4. Haliru Bala. Kebbi
    5. Eyitayo Oyetunji. Oyo

    In his ruling, Senate President enjoined the nominees to bring innovation into the commission, while asking them to show commitment in the course of their duties.