The Federal Commissioner representing Benue State at the National Population Commission, NPC, Mrs. Patricia Kupchi says the world is waiting for Nigeria to conduct its population census and the commission is ready to deliver a credible, reliable, acceptable and verifiable census to the country.
She said though the census was postponed, activities geared towards ensuring its successful conduct are ongoing.
The Commissioner spoke Friday when she was received in courtesy alongside her management team by the Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Provost and Regulating School, Commodore Mohammed Salisu in Makurdi.
Mrs. Kupchi said “The world is waiting for Nigeria to conduct its census and we are fully ready to undertake the task. The exercise may have been postponed but activities towards the census are ongoing.
“Before the postponement, we had done the Enumeration Area Demarcation, EAD, selected and trained different categories of participants. We trained the trainers who also went ahead to train those who are to go to the field.
“We have done pre-tests and done the trial census, travelling on water in some communities of the state and in all these we had no issues because you supported us. And we have come to thank you for all the support.
“For us it is not time to rest because census has not happened. The postponement has not left us idle. Those that have been trained are being retrained. By so doing we are fine-tuning our processes and checking where there could be lapses or challenges during the exercise and have them tackled ahead of time so that when Mr. President does the proclamation we will not be caught napping. We are therefore waiting for the marching order.
“Already there is delivery to the state, sensitive and non sensitive materials. Sensitive materials are in the custody of the Central Bank while non sensitive materials have been distributed.”
According to the Commissioner, “the next census, for me and for every Nigerian is an exciting one; it’s a green census, meaning that we are not using papers. It is going to be a digital census.
“It will interest you to know that we have concluded the Enumeration Area Demarcation, EAD, of the whole country. We have done 99.9 percent of that because aside one or two places otherwise every Local Government Area in the country has been captured, digitally mapped and georeferenced all because we want to deliver a credible, reliable, acceptable and verifiable census. We do not want estimate but actuals. Everybody matter and everybody will be counted once.”
Mrs. Kupchi who also spoke elaborately on other activities of the NPC urged the officers and personnel of the Nigerian Navy to alway ensure the registration of the birthday of their children as well as any incidents of deaths in families at the NPC offices.
According to her, “our activity and responsibility is also to collate data for planning purposes which is critical for growth and development and in NPC we have a robust data collation system.”
Responding, Commodore Salisu commended the Commissioner for visiting to appreciate the little efforts put in by the command to ensure the security of officials and materials of the Commission.
He said, “it is a sign of humility by the Commissioner; and I would like to add that going forward as we await the conduct of the census, you can count on us. And anytime you are ready just let us know, we will give you the necessary support.
“Census is something that is key for planning and development. So all hands must be on deck when the exercise comes up so as to ensure that success is achieved at the end of the day.”
The highpoint of the visit was the decoration of Commodore Salisu as a census ambassador as well as the decoration of other officers with the census emblem by the Commissioner.
