New Date for 2023 Census to Be Determined by the FG

The National Population Commission (NPC) is taking steps to safeguard the resources already allocated for the forthcoming National Census in Nigeria. The census, originally scheduled for May 3, was postponed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the new date is expected to be determined by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

During a one-day Breakfast Meeting for Media Executives held in Abakaliki on Friday, Mr. Darlington Okereke, the NPC’s Federal Commissioner in Ebonyi, reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring the preservation of resources and assets in preparation for the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

“We also gathered to enlighten you on the next steps forward in the light of the postponement of the conduct by the former President,” Okereke explained.

Highlighting the progress made thus far, Okereke emphasized that the commission had successfully completed crucial preparatory activities, such as the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD), pre-tests, trial census, and the recruitment and training of census field staff. Other accomplishments include the procurement and configuration of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), the establishment of robust ICT infrastructures and logistics support, as well as extensive advocacy and publicity campaigns.

By safeguarding these achievements, the NPC aims to ensure a smooth transition once a new date is set, thereby avoiding unnecessary duplication of efforts and associated costs.

“The most important task before the commission is to sustain and reinforce the relevance of these activities to the successful conduct of the 2023 census. This will ensure that the nation does not have to start afresh the preparations, thereby saving cost. The Commission has laid a solid foundation for future censuses,” Okereke affirmed.

The responsibility of determining the new date for the census lies with the Federal Government. In response to the update provided by the NPC, Mrs. Julia Manyike, the Director of the Commission in Ebonyi, expressed her gratitude to the media for their continuous support in guaranteeing a credible and reliable census exercise across all states of the federation. Manyike urged all stakeholders in the state to collaborate and work together to achieve a successful census.