By Promise Eze
In a statement released on Friday by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, it was revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari has given his approval for the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
The census, which was originally scheduled to take place from 3-7 May 2023, will now be held at a later date to be determined by the incoming administration.
The decision to postpone the census was arrived at after a meeting with members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday (28 April 2023).
During the meeting, it was emphasized that there is a critical need for a Population and Housing Census, as it has been 17 years since the last census was conducted.
The collection of up-to-date data is essential for driving the developmental goals of the country and improving the living standards of the Nigerian people.
Despite the postponement, significant progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census. The completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation, the conduct of the first and second pretests, the recruitment and training of adhoc workers, and the procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and ICT infrastructures have all contributed to this progress.
The President commended the National Population Commission for their efforts and the methodology being put in place to conduct an accurate and reliable census. He also praised the deployment of technology that is capable of delivering world class Census and laying a sustainable basis for future censuses.
