Again, FG Postpones Census 

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has postponed the already scheduled 2023 Population and Housing Census.

The postponement was disclosed after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Chairman of the National Population Commission and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.

READ ALSO: FG fixes May 3 for commencement of 2023 Census

Recall that the 2023 census was originally scheduled for March but due to the rescheduled 2023 governorship election the exercise was shifted to Wednesday, May 3 to Sunday, 7 May 2023.

But after Friday’s meeting a decision was reached that a new date for the exercise would be determined by the incoming administration.

The Federal Government after it had agreed for the postponement reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last Census, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people.

It noted that despite the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation of the country, conduct of first and second pretests, the recruitment and training of adhoc workers, procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and ICT infrastructures, an appreciable progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

The president commended the methodology being put in place by the Commission to conduct accurate and reliable Census, especially the massive deployment of technology that is capable of delivering world class Census and laying a sustainable basis for future censuses

To this, the president further directed the Commission to continue with preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements.

It would be recalled that the chairman of the commission had on Thursday, during a meeting with the diplomatic corps in Abuja, stated that the commission was yet to get all the devices needed to carry out the census, noting that some devices will be procured in a few days’ time.

“For the country, we require up to 800,000 PADs, so far, we have procured about 500,000. The remaining are coming in a few days’ time,” he said.

“On the donations for the census by the private sector and other key stakeholders, he said “But you know the way they operate; it is not as if the money will come like that. They have to talk with their own government and look at their budget. So, that process is ongoing. But we cannot say any money has come in. It is a process, and the process is unfolding.”

The meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

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