Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has described the proposed 2022 national population and housing census as a vital tool toward the nation’s future development plans.
Fayemi made the assertion when he received a delegation of the South-West Commissioners of the National Population Commission (NPC) led by the commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra in his office in Ado-Ekiti.
The governor said the exercise has the capacity in bringing about a new dawn toward the nation’s growth, progress and socio-economic development.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the commission to conduct a hitch free and credible population and housing scheme census exercise.
Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), also restated the readiness of governments at the sub-national level in ensuring a hitch-free exercise.
Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), also restated the readiness of governments at the sub-national level in ensuring a hitch-free exercise.
He
maintained that the exercise was of utmost priority to the Governors and would be given needed support to ensure that the process is conducted scientifically and devoid of manipulation and human error.
Fayemi assured the commission of the support of the state governments in the area of sensitisation, mobilisation, provision of security, accommodation and logistics for effective deployment of personnel across the State.
“Giving the preparatory of works that has gone into many state, it seems to me, that we are going to witness a new dawn in relation to this assignment.
“Let me say this on behalf of all my colleagues in the Governors forum that this is a matter of interest to us.
“It is not one that we would like to see subjected to the usual tales of how well you behaved in your state should determine the figures that comes up, this should be a scientific exercise in every way possible.
“As per the other issues you raised, sensitization, mobilization, provision of security, accommodation logistics for effective deployment of your personnel.
“I believed all of the governors would be interested in assisting as much as possible in all of these areas because for us this is an assignment that we take very seriously and it is one that is in the overall interest of our country.
“We brandish figures around too much in this country, nothing concretes, even countries that are bigger than us, that are more complex than us do hold their population census routinely.
“So, there is no reason we should not be able to do this as a matter of course in Nigeria and I know that the president would be very supportive of this assignment as we all will be at our own level at the subnational level.
“Whatever you think we have to do to accomplish this task we are here, we will do it,” he said.
Earlier, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, the NPC Chairman, had solicited and rallied the support of the members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for the 2022 census exercise.
Kwarra disclosed that the commission had started the second pretest across selected local governments in the country of which three local governments, namely Efon, Ekiti West and Ilejemeje were selected in Ekiti State.
According to him, the objective is to increase public awareness and get the mind of the people prepared for the forth coming census exercise.
Kwarra also revealed that the 2022 would be conducted with the aid of electronic devices to reduce human errors and chances of manipulations.
He said census instruments and methodology are being deployed in the second pretest exercise to prove their viability and give room for improvement.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation had earlier held a meeting with traditional rulers in the state and briefed them on the commission’s preparedness for the exercise and also rallied their support to achieve a credible exercise.
The NPC Chairman at the meeting commended the traditional rulers for the support rendered to the commission, especially during the enumeration area demarcation exercise held in the state.
He noted that the Commssion’s success would not have been recorded, without the support of all the critical stakeholders which the traditional rulers had played prominent roles.
“Aside the state government, traditional rulers are the next most important stakeholders in the Commssion’s scheme, whose input and cooperation is crucial to the success of the population exercise,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Chairman of Ekiti Traditional Council and the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Ayodele Adejuwon, thanked the chairman for the recognition and reiterated their support in order to achieve the desired success in the forthcoming population and housing census in may 2022.