National Population Commission (NPC) has assured the people of Nigeria of a well credible population and Housing census that will cover the non-Nigerians, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and homeless people.
NPC in a statement signed by Isiaka Yahaya, Director of Public Affairs states unequivocally that everyone resident in Nigeria at the time of the 2023 Census exercise will be counted and the aim is to leave no one behind to ensure inclusive, credible and acceptable census data.
The commission said this to dispelled news credited to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and the President of Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu who have called on the Federal Government to postpone the 2023 Population and Housing Census slated to be conducted from the 3rd to 7th May 2023 due to fear of exclusion of IDPs in the census exercise.
Governor Ortom and Dr Pogu asked the Federal Government to provide adequate security for the IDPs in Benue and elsewhere in the country to enable them to return to their usual places of residence before the 2023 Census will be conducted.
Governor Ortom further stated that close to two million indigenes of Benue State who are in the IDP camps would not be counted if the Census is carried out as scheduled.
The submissions of Both Ortom and Pogu made NPC stress assurance that the 2023 Census methodology has a robust and tested procedure for the enumeration of the IDPs in Nigeria, which is also in line with the international best standard.
“The methodology devised is not just for counting persons in regular households but also for those who stay in irregular households such as people in transit, homeless persons and temporary living camps. The census questionnaire will elicit information on the usual places of residence of people in IDP camps, that is where they stayed before the displacement. This data can be accessed in case of a possible change in status to aid the planning of their respective usual places of residence.
“It is gratifying to note that every land area of the country including the IDP camps has been demarcated into Enumeration Areas (EAs). The mandate of the enumerators during the census period will be to count every person in the assigned Enumeration Areas and the
aggregation of all the persons counted during the census will constitute the population figures of Nigeria.
“More importantly, the prevalence of the IDPs rather than being ground for postponement of the 2023 Census should be the reason for census taking. The 2023 Census will generate demographic data that governments at all levels, private sectors, international development partners and relief agencies will require to plan for the provision of food items, empowerment and social facilities to people in IDP camps.
“The Commission solicits the maximum cooperation and support of all residents of Nigeria in its effort to conduct the first digital and green census by presenting themselves to be counted in the exercise once and truthfully,” the statement read.
