Ahead of the 2023 National Census, the National Population Commission, NPC, has called on the media to create more awareness and public enlightenment on the coming exercise.
The national headcount is fixed between March 29 and April 2 but the commission is afraid that low turnout experienced across the country during the trial exercise may mar the process.
Speaking at a one-day capacity building workshop for journalists on effective reporting of the 2023 population and housing census, the Federal Commissioner of NPC in Edo State, Dr Tony Aiyejina, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the census.
Aiyejina said the forthcoming exercise is badly needed in national planning seventeen years after the last exercise was conducted in 2006.
He said this year’s exercise would for the first time be fully digitised. “Let nobody deceive you, this census will be accurate because the technology we are using cannot be compromised, permit me to acknowledge the bold decision of the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari (GCFR) to conduct a census for the country.
“The present Commission, leveraging on the Administration’s approval and support, decided to conduct a digital census for the country, the first of its kind in Nigeria. It was a paradigm shift of epochal proportions, because all processes, before, during and after the census, will be conducted on digital platforms and devices.
“Nigerians need to be educated and enlightened on this new way of census taking. That is why the media as the fourth estate of the realm will play a critical and pivotal role in this census project. This is the main reason for holding this capacity-building workshop for journalists. It will avail them the opportunity to understand basic concepts and methodology in census taking that will eventually result in effective reportage of the census.”
