2023 Population Census Will Change Nigeria’s Underdevelopment Narrative ― NPC
The National Population Commission (NPC) has assured that the 2023 housing and population census exercise will change the country’s underdevelopment narrative.
The Federal Commissioner of NPC, Yeye Seyi Aderinokun, disclosed this during the commission’s stakeholders’ summit on the 2023 Population and Housing Census, held at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital on Wednesday with the theme: “2023 Census – Getting People Involved”.
Aderinokun who is also representing Ogun state at the commission while addressing the stakeholders noted that the country’s population is a critical factor in achieving sustainable development.
She further stressed that, without proper and accurate data on the Nigerian population, the country may continue to struggle for development.
Aderinokun insisted that the government cannot continue to base Nigeria’s population on assumptions, hence, the need for the exercise in 2023.
Reeling out the objectives of the summit, Aderinokun, disclosed that the NPC put the programme together to create public awareness for the 2023 census, including its imperatives, methodology and the timeline
“To promote robustly and a full conversation on the process and procedures on the 2023 census; to solicit the cooperation and support of state-level stakeholders for the 2023 census and to provide a platform to offer clarification and seek suggestions on salient issues and concerns related to the conduct of 2023 population and housing census,” she said.
She further added that the summit’s goal is to ensure that the census is acceptable and credible, hence, the need for engagement with the stakeholders to get their feedback on the instrument and process.
Aderinokun noted, “As you are aware, the National Population Commission convened a national stakeholders summit on 11th of August, 2022 at the State House conference in Abuja.
“Following the successful conduct of the national stakeholders’ summit, it has become imperative to hold the state level stakeholders summit which we are holding today.”
In his remarks, the Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said population census is critical to national development.
Abiodun said the exercise would help Nigeria in its economic and development planning, which would further enhance the proper allocation of resources.
The governor, who his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, represented, stressed that the outcome of the census would the state government in the provision of amenities for residents in the state.
She said, “In order to ensure that the indices on population, economic planning, including but not limited to housing are realistic, no efforts should be spared in ensuring optimum conduct in our country.
“Population data is critical to development planning and any government desirous of achieving development strides needs to know how many people require basic amenities such as power, water, schools, health facilities and education.”
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