NPC to commence pre-test census exercise June 6 – Chairman

The National Population Commission (NPC) says it will commence its first pre-test exercise from June 6 to June 13, in 112 local government areas across the federation.

The Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Isa Kwarra, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

It was reported that pre-test exercise is a critical part of census planning process which provides the opportunity to test all aspects of the census programme and instruments in advance of the main census activities, thus ensuring smooth operation and success of the census.

Kwarra explained that the conduct of the pre-test exercise was aimed at testing the census methodology, the questionnaires and data collection methods.

“This exercise is aimed at testing the manuals for field staff, instruction manuals, data editing and coding, data processing and tabulation in preparation for actual census.

“In the pre-test exercise, some selected Enumeration Areas (EAs) in some of the local governments in states of the federation demarcated between 2016 and 2018 will be utilised.

“And the census instruments will be deployed to these areas to test run their suitability and readiness for actual census,” he said.

The chairman reiterated that the exercise was aimed at assessing quality and usefulness of the Enumeration Area (EA) maps already created.

Kwarra, who solicited for collective efforts of Nigerians in making the exercise a success, noted that it was designed to test run the viability of already Demarcated Enumeration Areas (EADs) in readiness for smooth census.

He said that the pre-test was in line with the mandate of the commission in creating good foundation for the next credible and reliable population and housing census.