The National Population Commission (NPC) has announced its readiness to conduct the National Housing and Population Census, saying it is waiting for the directive of the administration of the president elect Senator Bola Tinubu.
This was revealed by the NPC’s Director of Census, Dr Isiaka Yahaya at a press briefing on Sunday April 30.
Yahaya dismissed the speculation that the ill-preparedness of the Commission triggered the postponement of the census exercise.
He said the NPC has a formidable foundation for the exercise.
“The preparation will continue as it is a process that has started. We have done everything that needs to be done and we are ready to move. If not for the rescheduling of the gubernatorial elections, the census would have held because we felt after the initial fate, the post elections healing would set in which would have allowed the smooth conduct of the census.”
He said the Commission has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that it’s ready to conduct its first digital census.
“Technically, we are ready as we have the enumeration area information of all the 774 local governments in the state. We have used various methods to collect the data on all the houses on the country including places where there is insecurity and we are ready to go into those places to conduct the census.”
Buhari postpones census exercise indefinitely
President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed the forthcoming national population census.
The Informant247 learned that the census exercise was expected to take place between May 3 and 5 across the federation.
The postponement of the census exercise was announced by the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed in a statement released on Saturday April 29.
He said the incoming government to be led by the president elect Senator Bola Tinubu will determine the new date for the census exercise.
An Abuja federal high court on Friday declined an application demanding to halt the census operation.
Omotuyi Ademola had gone to court to demand a six month postponement for the census exercise.
He appealed to the court to affirm that the National Population Commission (NPC) is suffering underfunding and was not better prepared to embark on an effective and constitutional census.
The court case was adjourned until May 5, 2023.
The Informant247 recalls that the census commission a few weeks ago declared its preparedness to conduct the census exercise.
