From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
L:R: Steering Trial Census Committee for Kogi East, Hon Haruna Musa Idoko and National Commissioner Professor Jimoh Isah addressing the stakeholders meeting in Kogi.
The National Population Commission Commissioner in Kogi state, Professor Jimoh Isah has declared that it is compulsory for all citizens across the state to participate effectively in the upcoming 2023 Census.
Professor Jimoh Isah made the declaration during the Advocacy and Town-Hall meeting of critical stakeholders in the eastern senatorial district of Kogi state on what is required of them to ensure credible and accurate trial and main census, held at the Ata’Igala Palace in Idah on Wednesday.
The Ata’Igala and President of Kogi state Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Magesty, Matthew Opaluwa Oguche-Akpa has tasked the National Population Commission to ensure that it conduct credible and accurate census that will be acceptable to all during the upcoming 2023 census exercise.
The NPC Commissioner also admonished the people of the zone to endeavour to turn out en-mass and ensure that they are accounted during the exercise.
He further tasked the people to be honest enough in giving out correct and detailed information about themselves for the purpose of ensuring credible exercise.
The federal Commissioner noted that the trial census billed to commence in July this year in nine selected local government areas of the state is aimed at testing the techniques and methodologies to be used in conducting the main census come February, March and April 2023
He regretted that the 21 Local Government Areas of the state are not making enough impacts towards the sensitization of their people on the activities of NPC ahead of the upcoming census.
Also speaking at the stakeholders meeting, the vice-chairman of the Trial Census Steering Committee for Kogi East, Hon Haruna Musa Idoko and the Special Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello on legislative matter, told the Federal Commissioner that the committee has put necessary machineries in place for the smooth conduct of the trial census ahead of the main headcount.
He commended the efforts of the NPC to conduct credible and accurate census that will be acceptable to all Nigerians and the world over.
The stakeholders meeting was attended by traditional rulers, opinion moulders, market women, community and religious leaders across the eastern flank of Kogi state.
Meanwhile, the Royal father, Matthew Opaluwa Oguche-Akpa also promised logistics support towards the success of the upcoming 2023 National Census.
The Ata’Igala gave the promise when he received in audience the Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Kogi, Professor Jimoh Isah who paid him a courtesy visit in his Palace at Idah.
His Royal Magesty said that his Palace will ensure the mobilization of his subjects to assist in the provision of accommodation, feeding and security for the functionaries conducting the census within his domain.
The Ata while showering his royal blessings on Prof. Jimoh Isah, prayed that Nigeria will witness the most accurate census exercise during his time.
He described Prof. Jimoh Isah as a knowledgeable personality whom he assured will leave above board in the conduct of the census exercise.
He observed that Nigeria over the years down to year 2006 last population census, encountered criticism and accusations of inaccurate exercise which he advised should be corrected this time around.
” I hopefully believe that NPC will do a perfect job now to avoid the mistake of the past” the Ata pleaded.
His Royal Magesty said that no nation can do better without a perfect population count and stressed the need to have a reliable data that could facilitate effective planning for accelerated development.
“It is the population of an area that determines what it gets from the national cake. Iam therefore, appealing to all communities across the country to effectively mobilize towards ensuring the success of the upcoming census.
Earlier, the Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Kogi state, Professor Jimoh Isah had told the royal father that he was on advocacy visit with his official in Igala Kingdom for sensitization of the people about the trial and the upcoming census proper.
He also briefed His Royal Magesty on what the NPC has been able to do so far to ensure smooth census exercise with assurance that no community will be cheated.
