Laleye Dipo in Minna
The National Population Commission (NPC) has ruled out the possibility of conducting the forthcoming trial census in bandit-prone areas of Niger State.
Despite this decision, the commission has picked only nine local government areas it assumed were safe for the trial census which will begin on July 27 and end on 30.
The Federal Commissioner in Charge of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Dattijo Usman, state at a news conference in Minna yesterday that the trial census would hold in Edati, Katcha, Mokwa, Bosso, Gurara, Tafa Agwara, Borgu, and Wushishi effectively sidelining Shiroro, Rafi and Munya LGAs, which are most prone to terrorists attacks in the state.
On a national scale the Federal Commissioner disclosed that full enumeration would take place in one local government area of Adamawa, Katsina, Nasarawa, Ogun Anambra and Bayelsa States.
Usman disclosed that not less than 7,728 enumeration areas have been selected for the trial census to test run suitability and readiness for the actual census in 2023, adding that: “The selection of the coverage areas has been scientifically and purposively carried out to achieve the objectives of the trial census.”
Even with the security precautionary measures taken, Usman said the commission has commissioned men of the local vigilante to compliment those of the conventional security operatives to provide security for enumerators and materials during the trial census.
“Traditional rulers and major stakeholders have also keyed into this project,” Usman said, before disclosing that “all the former Heads of States are to be visited by the Commission to get their buy-in into the conduct of the trial census.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the trial census is not the actual enumeration of persons for the 2023 population and Housing Census, in other words the outcome of the Trial Census will not form the basis of the 2023 census.
“Data generated during the trial census will not be used to arrive at figures for the 2023 census which is going to be zero based and from information collected in April 2023.
“The trial census is a test case for the commission which we hope to pass with resounding success.”
