Successful census vital to Nigeria’s development, says Fayemi

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti described the proposed 2022 national population and housing census as vital tool toward future development of the nation.

Fayemi said this when he received a delegation of South-West Commissioners, National Population Commission (NPC) led by its Chairman, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra in his office.

The governor said the exercise had the potential to bring about a new dawn to the nation’s economic and social growth.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the Commission to conduct a hitch-free and credible population and housing scheme census.

Fayemi, who is also the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) reiterated the readiness of governments at the sub-national level to support the exercise.

“Given level of preparatory of work that has gone into the exercise, I have no doubt that we are going to witness a new dawn in relation to this assignment.

“Let me say this on behalf of all my colleagues in the governor’s forum that this is a matter of interest to us.

“It is not one that we will like to see subjected to the usual tales of how well you behaved in your state should determine the figures that comes up, this should be a scientific exercise in every way possible.

“I believe all the governors will be interested in assisting as much as possible in accommodate, mobilisation areas.

“This is because it is an assignment that we take seriously and it is one that is in the overall interest of the country,” he said.

The governor said there was the need to hold routine census, noting that countries that are bigger and more complex conduct the exercise on a more regular basis than Nigeria.

“So, there is no reason we should not be able to do this in Nigeria and I know that President Muhammadu Buhari will be very supportive of this assignment.

“Whatever you think we have to do to accomplish this task we are here, we will do it,” he assured.

Kwarra said NPC had started the second pre-test in selected local governments areas adding that in Ekiti, Efon, Ekiti West and Ilejemeje were chosen for the exercise.

He also said the exercise would be conducted with the support of electronic devices to reduce human errors and chances of manipulations.

Earlier during a visit to Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers, Kwarra solicited the continued support of the royal fathers.

“Aside the state government, traditional rulers are the next most important stakeholders in the scheme whose input and cooperation is crucial to the success of the exercise,” he said.

Responding, Oba Ayodele Adejuwon, the Chairman, Council Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers, commended NPC for recognising the role of the traditional institution in community mobilisation and participation in government policies.

Adejuwon who is is also the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, pledged the continued support of the traditional rulers towards a successful population and housing census.