Garba Abari, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), has announced that the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will take place across the country on May 3 and 5, this year.
The exercise was originally scheduled for March 29 but was moved to May by the federal government.
“The census had to be moved from March 29th to April 2nd, and now to May 3rd to 5th,” he explained.
Abari, who is also a member of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census Publicity and Advocacy Committee, stated on Sunday that the change in date was caused by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s postponement of the 2023 gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections (INEC).
“Because of INEC’s change, we were forced to adjust the date of the exercise,” he explained.
The census and the recently concluded 2023 elections are both significant national events that were previously scheduled to take place close to each other.
According to Abari, the reason for the shift in the exercise was that the National Population Commission (NPC) expected INEC to tinker with the electoral timetable due to the BVAS controversy.
The NOA D-G Director-General stated that the census would capture every person, household, and structure for national planning and project execution purposes and that the Commission is fully prepared to begin the process.
“Most of the information that has gone out to the public about the census has been taking place, such as awareness creation, sensitization, enlightenment, and advocacy around the census.”
“Perhaps not on a large enough scale to say that every Nigerian is now census conscious, census aware, despite the very important role that it plays in our national life.”
“However, the census is critical because it combines development, planning, security, infrastructure development, educational, health, and other demographic considerations.”
Leave a comment