NPC seeks NASS’ backing on 2016 census ABUJA – NATIONAL Population Commission (NPC), yesterday, solicited the support of the National Assembly to ensure a hitch free census exercise in 2016. The Chairman of the commission, Chief Eze Duruiheoma noted that successful planning for sustainable development was anchored on accurate demographic data, adding that the exercise was imperative to post Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)’s assessment in the country. Duruiheoma, who made the appeal at a one day retreat on the imperatives of conducting the 2016 Population And Housing Census for lawmakers, in Abuja, said conducting a reliable census in 2016 was feasible regardless of the economical, political and security issues in the country. Represented by the Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State, Dr Festus Uzor, the chairman explained that these challenges were not enough to put development planning-related activities like census on hold, considering what the country stands to gain through regular conduct of the exercise. “While the commission deeply appreciates the gravity of the issues and the implications they might have on the conduct of the census, it is of the firm belief that they are not enough to put development planning, which will be affected by lack of census data on hold. “Beside, given the unrelenting commitment of the federal government and the broad international support to stem the tide, the commission is confident that these challenges will be overcome before the 2016 census date,” he said. Speaking on its imperative to MDGs, Duruiheoma said “basically, all the MDGs indicators are demographic and cannot be computed unless there is accurate information about the population size, composition and distribution of the country.” He called on lawmakers to support the commission through budgetary allocation, appropriate legislations as well as enlightenment of citizenry being the elected representatives of the people. According to him, “the commission looks forward to partnership with the National Assembly in effecting a fundamental attitudinal change that will emphasise the usefulness for planning development.” Participants at the retreat emphasized on the need to have the commission’s office complex completed to enhance service delivery. They also decried a situation where the country has to rely on donor agencies for the conduct of census exercise, urging the federal government and the National Assembly to ensure adequate budgetary allocation for the exercise.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 18:34:04 +0000
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