A civil society organization, Save Nigeria Movement (SNM), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to proceed with the planned digitalized census this year. The CSO emphasizes that the successful completion of the census is crucial for sound economic planning and infrastructure provision.
During an interactive session with social media influencers in Abuja, the group’s convener, Rev. Solomon Semaka, praised the president for committing to a digitalized census. Semaka believes that a digital census with biometric features will eliminate suspicions and distrust, preventing multiple counts and imaginary entries.
The CSO contends that a digitized census will provide accurate information about Nigeria’s population, age distribution, and other vital indices for development. It asserts that with the established modalities, no tribe or state can manipulate their numbers at the expense of others.
Semaka emphasizes that the exact population, along with essential statistics, will be known quickly, enabling the government to focus on priority needs such as healthcare, education, social amenities, social security, and employment generation.
The group expresses satisfaction with the measures implemented by the management team of the National Population Commission (NPC) under Alhaji Isa Kwarra to ensure a smooth census. They commend the commission for deploying advanced technology, including digital Enumeration Area Demarcation maps and Portable Digital Assistants (PDA) for seamless data capture.
Semaka calls on social media influencers and civil society organizations to cooperate with the process through positive advocacy. The NPC has conducted mock and trial census exercises across selected local governments and states, in addition to training millions of Nigerians as ad-hoc staff for various roles nationwide.
News Source: Techeconomy
