The Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Plateau State, Mrs. Cecilia Dapoet, recently had a breakfast meeting with members of the media at the De-Bridge Hotel in Jos, where she clarified the circumstances surrounding the postponement of the awaited 2023 census. The purpose of the meeting was to clarify the decision and clear up any misunderstandings.
In order to acknowledge their unshakable support in carrying out the commission’s responsibility to provide correct demographic statistics for the country, Mrs. Dapoet extended her sincere gratitude to the participating media professionals for their prompt response to the invitation. She reaffirmed the commission’s unwavering dedication to conducting a trustworthy and credible census for Nigeria.
The Enumeration Area Demarcation Exercise, the First and Second Census Pretests, the Trial Census, and recruitment exercises were among the crucial tasks that the National Population Commission completed in its extensive preparation for the census. The final training for supervisors and enumerators, however, was about to begin when the commission decided to postpone it.
Mrs. Dapoet explained that, in contrast to popular belief, the postponement was not caused by a lack of financing, as some had suggested. Instead, it was a calculated choice informed by the country’s post-election climate and the government’s ongoing transformation program. The commission made a good decision to postpone the census in order to prevent any potential unrest. Mrs. Dapoet made it clear that this choice was made with the interests of the country at heart.
The postponement will allow the new administration to actively participate in the census process. The commission is making use of the extra time to reassess its Census Work-plan and make the required improvements in order to improve the implementation process and guarantee a good conclusion.
In addition, while waiting for the announcement of the new census date, the National Population Commission is unwavering in its commitment to maintaining all resources allotted for the count and guaranteeing their wise use. The commission has put mechanisms in place to reduce political involvement during the census process, ensuring transparency and dependability. The commission did this after learning from prior experiences hampered by problems including undercounting, repeated counting, and faulty enumeration.
Mrs. Dapoet pleaded with the assembled media experts to convey this enlightening message to the Plateau State people, highlighting the commission’s continuous reliance on their unflinching support and cooperation as they work through the census preparations.
In conclusion, Mrs. Cecilia Dapoet expressed her sincere gratitude for the unwavering assistance given and bestowed blessings on the National Population Commission, Plateau State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as they collaborate to carry out a thorough and accurate census in 2023.
