Emmanuel OchayiIn a bid to ensure accurate economic planning and development in Nigeria, the House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Population to investigate the delayed 2023 Population and Housing Census.
This move comes after the National Population Commission (NPC) postponed the census originally scheduled for May 2023.
During a parliamentary session, Hon. Dominic Okafor and Hon. Patrick Umoh introduced a motion titled “Need to Investigate the Expenditure on the Postponed 2023 Population and Housing Census by the National Population Commission and Conduct of the National Population/Housing Census.”
The motion was greeted by strong support from the House members.
Okafor stressed the importance of accurate population data for development planning, policy formulation, resource allocation, and government program implementation.
He expressed concern that the data collected in the last census conducted in 2006 is no longer reflective of the current reality in 2023, making it inadequate for sound national economic policies.
In his address, Okafor noted that the NPC had already spent a portion of the budget allocated for the 2023 census planning. The delayed census has raised concerns about the potential wastage of resources and the need for the government to gather fresh information, which would incur additional costs.
The House of Representatives also called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a new date for the census and urged the NPC to intensify its preparations for the Population and Housing Census.
They emphasized the necessity of forming Census Tribunals in designated centers, in accordance with the NPC Act of 2004.
The delayed census has drawn attention to the importance of conducting a population and housing census in a timely and efficient manner to support the country’s economic planning and distribution of palliatives to its citizens.
This investigation by the House of Representatives aims to ensure that Nigeria can move forward with accurate and up-to-date population data for its development and policymaking efforts.
Follow Us