Ganduje pledges support for credible census

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has promised to support the National Population Commission (NPC) to ensure conduct of accurate and reliable census in the state.

Ganduje said this when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed led members of the National Population and Housing Census Awareness Committee on a courtesy visit, on Thursday in Kano.

Mohammed was represented in the visit by Dr Garba Abari, Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA).

The governor said the state government would work with relevant stakeholders to mobilise participation in the exercise.

“Kano State Government believes in the use of data, we don’t like policy making in the dark. And the only way that we can improve the policy making capability is through the good use of data.

“We have not had a census since 2006, all the numbers that we have are out-of-date, or from international organisations. Many of which we found, were also guessing,” he said.

According to him, the upcoming census will provide a good foundation that the Bureau of Statistics (NBS) can build upon to do more accurate surveys in the future.

He pledged government support and cooperation of the people of the state to the census publicly committee to facilitate successful conduct of the exercise.

Earlier, Mohammed said the committee was in the state for a town hall meeting with critical stakeholders ahead of the upcoming census.

“We had useful interactive session with relevant stakeholders during our town hall meeting where critical issues were rise and discussed,” he said.

He lauded the governor for appointing a Senior Special Assistant on Population, the first of its kind in the country.
The National Population and Housing Census is billed to begin on May 3.