2023 Census: Imo NUJ Will Continue To Partner With NPC – Nwanguma 

By    Anyi  Lemchi

The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo State Council, Comrade Ifeanyi Nwanguma has reassured the Federal Commissioner Representing Imo State at the National Population Commission, Prof Uba Nnabue of continue total  support and partnership of the Union  towards the successful conduct 2023 Census in the state.

Comrade Nwanguma who gave the  assurance in his goodwill message during Breakfast Meeting with Media Heads in Imo State on the Population and Housing Census on Tuesday,  commended the leadership of NPC in Imo State for engaging journalists on their day to day activities, adding that Imo NUJ is ever ready to provide any media assistance to help  the actualisation of efficient and accurate population and Housing Census in Imo State.

He used the opportunity to urged Imo State NPC to re-train Imo journalists on the modalities for monitoring and reporting the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census.

The Federal Commissioner for National Population Commission (NPC) in Imo State, Prof. Uba Nnabue in his welcome address earlier said that  2023 population and housing census will be done digitally to ensure that the exercise is conducted efficiently and accurately.

The Commissioner who said the NPC was  ready for the conduct of the population and housing census before the exercise was shifted, noted that the EAD, PRE-TEST and Trial- Census, recruitment and training of census functionaries, procurement of PDAs had been carried out, saying it is sustaining those human capital investments until a new date is announced for the exercise.

According to Nnabue, “the census had to be postponed for the following reasons: The elections which were shifted drastically affected the timeline of the census. We had to reschedule our pragmatic training process program. Secondly, the timeline to conduct the remaining segments of the census from May 3rd 2023 required at least 22-25 days minimum. This would create conflict of interest especially on a constitutional date for transition of government, which statutorily is May 29, 2023.

“There was also a burgeoning need to allow the incoming Government who would directly be the beneficiary of the Digital Census Data to be brought to speed and allowed to make inputs. Also, the final funding towards the conclusion of the census exercise was left for the incoming administration”.

While urging Imolites to be interested to take part in the census, Nnabue emphasized that the Commission is coming up with plan for accurate conduct of 2023 Census, hinting that NPC is not only looking at the immediate needs of delivering the next census, but concerned more with laying a solid foundation for future censuses.

He mentioned that “this mindset informed the scope and quality of arrangements that were put in place. For example, the Enumeration Area Demarcation which involved the division of the country into small land areas was meticulously undertaken in such a way that only an update will be required for future censuses. Using satellite imageries, the Enumeration Areas were all geo – referenced with the coordinates of all the buildings established”.

He observed that the “products of the EAD are currently being used by other government agencies. Recruitment of adhoc workers were completed before the postponement of the census. These include Facilitators, Data Quality Managers, Training Centre Managers and Monitoring and Evaluation Officers at National, Zonal and State level training. The last level of training for the LGAs is for supervisors, enumerators. These personnel have been selected and are awaiting final training. We will continue to maintain contact with the trainees from online and virtual avenues”.

The Commissioner remarked that NPC had “acquired over 500,000 devices (tablets/PDAs) and deployed same across the states and FCT. All sensitive and non- sensitive materials for use in Imo State are already on ground. We have sustained advocacy and publicity in Imo through various avenues. We had inaugurated a Publicity Committee for Imo State. So far we have sustained our continuous stakeholders engagement. We want to place on record the supportive role of the Government of Imo State particularly through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in all our activities in Imo State”.

While calling on the media to continue to partner with NPC by reaching out to Imolites especially those at the rural areas to entice them to have interest in population and housing census, Nnabue

expressed gratitude to SOLADs, traditional rulers, President – Generals for their hospitality and immense cooperation, urging them not to relent until success is gained.