The chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) Hon. Nasiru Isa Kwarra has assured the forthcoming census will hold in Sambisa Forest despite the security challenges in the area.
Kwarra said all structures including those in the villages have been captured and geo-coded.
He spoke at the inauguration of the population and housing national census publicity committee in Abuja.
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The NPC boss further assured of conducting a census that will have a reliable date for planning, adding that almost all materials needed are secured.
Kwarra said: “I can assure you your village has been covered. There is no place we have not visited. Our staff even went as far as Sambisa Forest where we have security challenges. So, I assure you that no one will be left out in the entire census process.
“And all structures have been captured, and geo-coded. This aspiration has informed the methodology and quality of preparations for the census in the last few years. In all these, the need for Advocacy, Publicity and Public Enlightenment cannot be overemphasized.’’
He added: ‘’You will all agree with the Commission that the job before it and indeed this Committee is phenomenal, this is in consideration of the need to inform, educate and enlighten Nigerians on the scope of the Census which will involve the counting of every person resident in Nigeria during the conduct of the exercise and that it will take place simultaneously in every household in the country.
“Given this scenario, information, they say “rules the world” as such, targeted advocacy and sustained publicity is no doubt imperative to the successful conduct of the Census exercise. This becomes even more crucial in view of the fact that the census is taking place immediately after the conduct of the 2023 General elections.’’
