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National Population Commission (NPC) Monday solicited for the support of President Goodluck Jonathan for the conduct of 2016 census.
NPC Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), stated this when he spoke to State House correspondents after he led other members of the board to a closed-door meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said until the president announces the conduct, preparation to that effect could not be made. The last general census was conducted in 2006.
According to the NPC chairman, his team was at the Presidential Villa to secure Jonathan’s announcement for the 2016 exercise to enable the commission commence preparation.
“The last census was in 2006, so in 2016 there ought to be another exercise, that’s why we have come to tell the President about that because we cannot commence until he says go ahead by way of proclamation.
“Our mission here is to seek the President’s proclamation on the matter, to tell us to go ahead with the exercise so that we can hit the road running,” Duruiheoma said.
He however disclosed that the president did not make any commitment to the announcement, but said he was hopeful that the announcement would be made within a short time.
“Some people see it (census) most often in terms of revenue, which is an ephemeral thing.
“Yes revenue, which is a very transient thing and maybe representation in the House of Representatives but these things are not as important as providing credible data that can aid development over time.
“If you look at the problems confronting us as a nation today, all of them are derived from a single fact that we lack data and because we lack data, we don’t plan. So that is what I think we should be looking at.
“As far as I am concerned, it is only bragging, that we currently do, with some people saying they are more in number than others but those things are not important” he stressed.
The NPC boss assured of credible census.
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