The National Population Commission (NPC) has given a further explanation on why the 2023 census was postponed, saying the mood of the nation influenced the postponement.
The Commission said the election mood has not totally evaporated.
OsunDaily News recalls President Muhammadu Buhari had officially approved the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census, earlier scheduled for May 3-7 2023.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to newsmen on Saturday.
Mohammed revealed that Buhari gave the approval after meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, April 28, 2023
Shedding more light on the postponed 2023 census, the NPC spokesperson, Isiaka Yahaya on Sunday said the need to allow the incoming administration to have input on the planned census so as to make use of the result effectively is part of the reasons for the postponement.
He added that there is no truth in rumours flying around that lack of funds was responsible for the postponement of the exercise.
The NPC spokesperson who made this known during an interview with Channels TV, said the commission was fully prepared for the exercise.
According to Yahaya, the date of the 2023 governorship elections which was shifted also affected the plans by the commission for the census because after gauging the mood of the nation after the elections, it was realized that the best thing to do was to postpone the census.
“When we say postponement, it gives the impression that we’re going to start all over again, but to us at the commission, you know the process started long ago. So many steps have been taken and what remains to be done is to conclude the process. In a way, we consider it as rescheduling,” Yahaya said.
“Some of these reasons that are been insinuated are not true. First, the census was postponed, not because the National Population Commission is not prepared. We are actually prepared to conduct the census and we have taken all the necessary steps to carry out the exercise. So, that is not the reason.
“Again, it has been insinuated that…it’s due to finance. That is also not true. The federal government of Nigeria which has the primary responsibility of funding the census has so far provided all the resources we needed for the census and the stages that need to be carried out, that is the training and the actual enumeration. We have no reason to believe that funds will not be available as you know funds are always provided when needed.”
Yahaya added that “First, the conduct of the census is not a maze. It’s not an end itself but rather a means. You know that a census is conducted to use for planning purpose and in a way, this should be a seamless exercise in which the administration that conducts the census should also be the administration that will use the census,” he said.
“Having looked at the need, we believe that the right thing is done. It is important to have the incoming administration get an idea of how the census will be conducted, to hone the process. If this is done, it will be easier for that administration to utilise the census for planning purposes. So, I believe that is one purpose why the census is being rescheduled.
“Another reason again has to do with the mood of the nation. When we planned to conduct the census after election, we believe that we’ll be able to have enough window between the period when the election will be concluded and also when the census will be carried out. Unfortunately, the rescheduling of the election did not allow for total evaporation of the mood.”
