Akpabio asks for the census to help national planning

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, underlined the need to conduct a new census to guide Nigeria national planning processes

He said that the need for a new census has become urgent, since the last was carried out in 2006.

In a declaration signed in Abuja by the National Population Commission (NPC) public affairs department, Akpabio left this sign during a meeting with the members and management of the NPC, which visited it to provide updates on the preparations for the next census.

According to Akpabio, “he hesitated to call him national misfortune, but I can say that it is a national embarrassment that even the Nigerians who represent the AS abroad often do not know the exact data of the population., We feel resale of 250 million, while other sources estimate over 270. Some African nations sometimes believe they have exceeded 300 million million.”

He continued: “At the retreats, the numbers float, with estimates that descend from 250 million to 220 million. The time has come to put an end to this confusion”.

Akpabio stressed that a country unable to carefully evaluate its population is already failing in its planning efforts. “Proper planning is impossible without knowing the number of people you have to provide. How can we plan the number of schools, classrooms or health facilities without a clear understanding of our population? Planning is essential.

“A nation that neglects to plan is to accept failure and if we do not start planning the future, we are failing to generations of Nigerians. This census is crucial as it will give us the data we need to plan our future.”

The President of the Senate reassured the NPC that the National Assembly would have offered full support for the Commission in his efforts.

“Supporting you is fundamental. The national assembly will support you all the way. I have no doubt that with the caliber of professionals here today, once the presidential proclamation is done, you will go up to the occasion. The Senate, in particular, will be next to you,” he said.

Previously, the president of the NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra, who led the delegation, explained that the visit was aimed at updating the president of the Senate on the preparations for the census and looking for continuous support from the National Assembly.

“We cannot successfully conduct this census without your support. We are counting on your support to ensure that we provide a complete and accurate census that will provide valuable data for political and national development,” said Kwarra.