We Need Accurate Data For Planning, Soludo Tells NPC Chairman

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has stressed the need for the provision of accurate data by the National Population Commission (NPC) to help in effective planning by states and the federal government.

Governor Soludo made this known when he received a delegation from the Commission who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Awka.

Chairman of the NPC, Hon. Isa Kwarra led the delegation comprising Commissioners and Directors of the Commission.

The visit was to solicit the state government’s support, in view of the Digital Housing and National Population Housing Census exercise billed for April 2023.

Governor Soludo noted that statistics is everything, and remains the basic requirement for effective planning for development.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t change it! Without data, you can’t plan,” the Governor stated.

He reiterated the significance of the Commission and the imperative of a full population demographics and not just stating the total number of a location, especially for a unique state like Anambra which is estimated to have over 50% of its indigenous population living outside of the state.

“The transit population of Ndi Anambra is more than those domiciled in the state. The 50% population is just an estimate. We need concrete numbers to plan for the surging population that will arrive in the state during the festive period and also plan for traffic control, and for several other social sectors.”

Governor Soludo further explained that to plan for tomorrow, purely planning purposes, not just for only residents of Anambra State but also Ndi Anambra living outside of the state, basic data for age, population, education, qualification, residential address, persons living with disability, income level, household survey, among others, are basic requirements for planning. He, however, noted regrettably, that such basic data needed to disaggregate are sadly unavailable.

The Governor expressed support for the coming population census exercise being proposed next year, wishing that it will be successfully conducted.

“It would be delightful if the National Population Census can provide the total number of Ndi Anambra living in the 35 states of the Federation so that we can be able to plan for basic infrastructure,” Solduo further stated.

READ ALSO: Editorial: Soludo’s Woman Leaders In Town Unions

He assured of maximum security and provision of basic logistics in terms of sensitisation, mobilization, personal and professional assistance, during the exercise.

In his remark, the chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon Isa Kwarra, urged Governor Soludo to uphold Anambra State as the light of the nation.

Kwarra highlighted the efforts made so far by the Commission as they prepare for the national count.

“We’ve commenced pre-test trial census exercise using Idemili South LGA. The specific objectives will be to assess the quality of the enumeration area maps that had been created, determine demographic and geographical changes that might have occurred and their implications, determine the feasibility for house numbering, determine the correlation between estimated population and pre-test enumerated population, determine educational qualification for 2023 census enumerators, determine estimated workload on enumerators and finally, determine logistics support required from States and LGAs,” he concluded.

Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, Head of Service, Barrister Theodora Igwegbe, Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Chinedu Nwoye Glamour among others attended the event.