By Kamsi Anayo
National Population Commission (NPC) had said that the national population and housing census has been scheduled to hold from March 29 till April 2, 2023.
Nasir Kwarra, NPC Chairperson, announced the development on Friday in Abuja while speaking with state house correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the state house in Abuja.
“By March 29 to April 2, our staff will be in the field enumerating people,” he said.
Kwarra said the 2023 census cannot be manipulated as it would prioritize the use of technology.
According to him, the use of cutting-edge technology, including Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite images, in the exercise, would make it difficult for anybody to manipulate the exercise.
He said that all buildings in the country have been coded for the purpose of the census.
He stated also that non-Nigerians will be counted so long as they are in the country at the time of the exercise.
“This census is going to be different from past censuses. The theory and practice is essentially the same, but we’re using high-end technology to conduct this census and it’s such that nobody can tamper with any figure. Nobody will be counted more than once.
“We’re visiting households to do direct interface with the household, collect data. And in the past if you’re doing an operation manually, it’s very cumbersome, but this is being aided by technology and I believe it’s going to be transparent and very fast.
“And it is going to be verifiable because we are able to provide data up to local government, up to wards level. So it is something that you can always verify”, he said.
According to him, the demarcation of enumeration areas has been completed.
He stated also that the NPC has opened a portal to recruit ad hoc staff for the conduct of the exercise.
He added that the recruited staff would be put to work on the areas.
The NPC Chairman also expressed the hope that the census will hold smoothly
Inspite of the security concerns expressed in some parts of the country.
