The National Population Commission (NPC) has disclosed that it’s proposing to spend six dollars (N2,880) per headcount on the incoming national population and housing census scheduled from May 3 to May 5.
OsunDaily News understands that this is as the commission dismissed claims that the N869 billion budgeted for the exercise was exorbitant.
The Federal Commissioner of the NPC in Enugu State, Ejike Eze said the figure was the least when compared with the budgets of other countries
He said “The USA spent between 12 dollars and 15 dollars (N5,760 – N7,200) to count a citizen, while Malawi spent nine dollars (N4,320) per citizen.
“In Nigeria, however, we are making a proposal to spend six dollars (N2,880) to count a citizen.”
Exe also dismissed calls for a shift in the dates of the exercise and argued that the census is not the same as an election where there are competitors, winners and losers.
Speaking about factors that can possibly pose a threat to the exercise in the region, the Enugu NPC boss said the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) will not be a threat to the exercise because they understand the essence.
He explained that the separatist group understands the implications of not allowing residents to partake in the census, so they won’t be of any treat.
Exe noted that the commission had an earlier encounter with IPOB in two local government areas of Enugu State during the demarcation of the areas preparatory to the headcount, but the intervention by the government resolved the issues.
He, however, was optimistic about the safety and participation of residents in the state, because the group according to him is now advocate of the exercise.
Exe submitted that “IPOB has on its own embarked on advocacy to encourage people to participate in the census.
“We have been able to engage IPOB to convince it that its agitation requires information that the census would provide.’’
