N222bn Required For 2018 Census – NPC

Chief Duruiheoma disclosed this information as members of the Senate Committee on Population and National ID Card paid a visit to the NPC Headquarters in Abuja, on an oversight function to ascertain the preparedness of the commission towards the 2018 census.

He noted that the machineries to be deployed into the conduct of the next census exercise are more sophisticated than that of 2006, adding that the commission was fully aware of the enormity of its constitutional responsibility of managing the nation’s population.

He said the trial census will come up in first quarter of 2017, while the actual census will come up in 2018, while emphasising the need for the timely provision of funds in the commission’s activities.

He said: “The census was supposed to be conducted in 2016 but due to the non-availability of resources, it was shifted to 2017. We presented a budget that should accompany it but, again, the releases didn’t justify that proposal and we had to revise our calendar and came up with 2018. For that purpose, we are proposing three sub heads of pre-census, census proper and post-census activities to gulp 222.9 billion.

“So far, a total of N2.17 billion out of N4.4 billion budget of the commission for 2016 has been disbursed, tagged ‘for the preparation of census.

“Adequate and timely release of funds is one critical issue that defines the success or otherwise of a census programme. The commission is in dire need of accommodation, both at the headquarters and the state offices. The permanent site of the headquarters has been under construction for the past 19 years, and, as a result, the state commissioners are using the conference room as their temporal office.

“For a nationwide project like the census, there will be the need to put in place appropriate legal regime for its effective execution. The commission looks forward to the senate committee to ensure that required legislations on the next census are passed.

“Specifically, the commission will require the support of the senate committee in ensuring that periodic conduct of the population censuses in Nigeria is included in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The task of mobilising the stakeholders and the general public against the background of public apathy and stereotypes can indeed be a daunting task. There will be the need to involve role models and goodwill ambassadors in the census campaign.

“The commission will count on the distinguished senators as opinion leaders to deploy their immense goodwill in enrolling the support of key government functionaries, traditional institution, civil society groups, religious bodies and indeed the generality of Nigerians for the census.”

In his remark, the Senate Committee leader, Senator Sulaiman Hunkuyi, urged the commission to commercialise issuance of birth and death certificates as well as vita data to private and public sectors with a view to generating revenues.

Hunkuyi also advised the commission to approach the international donor agencies to seek more fund to execute the 2018 census exercise due to the current economic situation facing the country.

Meanwhile, the senators frowned at the level of work done on the permanent site of NPC. The committee expressed worry that despite the 100% payment to contractors handling the project, the building was yet to reach 70% completion after 10 years it was awarded.