Census: Generated data to meet international best standards – NPC

The Executive Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC), Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, said the commission would generate quality data to meet international standards in the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

Kwarra said this at the inauguration of the 2023 Census National Publicity Committee in Abuja.

He assured that the commission would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the results of the census were acceptable to Nigerians.

“The commission will deploy full digital technology in the conduct of the census and it will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the result of the census is acceptable to Nigerians.

“And the quality of the data to be generated meets the international best standards,” he said.

He reiterated that the vision of the 2023 census was to produce not only accurate, reliable and acceptable census data but also an inclusive and user-friendly data that would be used by all segments of the society for development planning.

According to him, in all these, the need for Advocacy, Publicity and Public Enlightenment cannot be over emphasised.

The Executive Chairman, who commended the Minister of Information and Culture for his support, said the commission’s job and that of the committee was phenomenal.

He expressed the need to inform, educate and enlighten Nigerians on the scope of the Census which will involve the counting of every person resident in Nigeria.

“Given this scenario, information, they say, “rules the world”; as such, targeted advocacy and sustained publicity is no doubt imperative to the successful conduct of the census.

“This becomes even more crucial in view of the fact that the census is taking place after the 2023 General elections.

“Therefore, the mobilisation of critical stakeholders to support and take ownership of the process to achieve the desired outcome is imperative.”

He added: “And it hinges absolutely on our ability to speak to the people in the language that will galvanize and mobilize them to participate in the 2023 census.”

Kwarra, however, said the commission would be relying on the committee’s expertise and structures to drive the message into every home and household.

Kwarra also promised to organise a workshop for the members to ensure that members of the National Census Publicity Committee had good grasp of the processes and methodology of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

Our correspondent reports that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is the Chairman of the Committee.

The NPC Chairman is the Co-Chairman, Mr Buki Ponle, Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria, is a member, among others.