NATIONAL POPULATION COMMISSION NIGER STATE TASKS MEDIA TO BE PRUDENT IN 2023 CENSUS REPORTAGE 

The state National Population Commission, Federal commoner in the state, Alhaji Muhammadu Usman Datti disclosed this at a one day capacity building workshop for journalists on Effective reporting of the 2023 population and housing census in Minna.

The federal commissioner who was represented by the Technical Adviser Alhaji Nda Ali Abdullahi stated that the state is leading in pre census so far conducted in the state.

He mentioned that pre-test held on February/march 2021in four local government area namely Bida, Chanchaga, Kontagora and Tafa and the second pre-test in four local government areas namely Gbako, lavun, Suleja and wushishi and the trial census in nine local government areas three in each Senatorial district zone have acquaint  the enumerators with the method ahead the 2023 population and housing census.

He further stressed that the state stakeholders summit on the preparedness, methodology and technology adopted for the first ever digital 2022 population and housing census was held to abraist the participants with the Technology and the methodology in the census processes.

He appeals to Media men to partner with the commission and to also support in ensuring that the exercise is successful and to create awareness in the general public to know the benefits of the 2023 population and housing census exercise.

In one of the paper presented at the workshop by Professor Nicholas Iwakwagh of the Federal university of Technology Minna tittle “Reporting 2022 Digital National Population and Housing census connecting facts and figures to National development, stated in the paper that there is a relationship between census facts and figures, the national budget and national development.

He mentioned that National development is a product of bridging the gap between the figures and resource allocation via the instrument of the budget, hence the media can bridge the gap by upholding the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people in terms of unfilling the fundamental objectives contained in Chapter 2 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria using the national budget as an instrument.