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• Says Nigeria needs a reliable, Credible, acceptable, Successful Census for Planning and Development 

 * Urges Nigerians to come out and be  counted

• We will conduct a free and fair Census after 2023 General Elections, NPC Chairman

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has called on the National Population Commission, NPC to conduct a national census in 2023 that would be devoid of politics, ethnicity and religion. 

According to Clark, the time has come for Nigeria to get right by having a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census that would l help the government in planning purposes for development, especially in bolstering the social security programme that targets more vulnerable Nigerians.

He said that the onus is on the country now  to conduct another national census to produce a new set of demographic and socio-economic data that will provide the basis for national planning and sustainable development.

Speaking yesterday at his Asokoro residence, Abuja when the Executive Chairman of NPC. Nasir Isa Kwarra led the Commission’s  Federal Commissioners from the thirty- six states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT on a courtesy visit to him, the Elderstatesman stressed that it has become very imperative to conduct a national census that would not be hijacked by politicians or enveloped in ethnic colouration as against the previous ones that were not devoid of politics and ethnicity. 

Clark who noted that he became disillusioned when Nigeria was churning out population figures up to 230 million people that made many people sceptical, however urged Nigerians to come out and support the Commission to ensure that they are counted and help others to be counted, adding that he is happy that the National census would be carried out after the elections as that would make the exercise peaceful.

Clark said, ” I urge you to conduct a national census next year that will be devoid of politics and ethnicity. There was no census at that time in the past that was devoid of politics, that was devoid of ethnicity, that was devoid of we are more than you are. Many of us became fed up with census in  those days. Everything was based on population. 

“For instance, Patani had a population of 80,000 in 1961, but by 1973 the population has gone down to 70,000, so they said they must find out what was responsible. Iam  just citing the example, there are other areas where the people  have left the villages,  people are no longer there. 

“These are Nigerians,  where have they gone to.?

Today in Nigeria, we begin to ask what is  your population, we cannot say it, anything you ask for, you cannot get the correct answer. So when people talk today, I want to know from NPC what is the number of Oil being exported from this country. Two, how much of the refined oil is brought back to Nigeria, how many vehicles do we have in Nigeria today, nobody knows.

“We don’t even know the number of Ports, Ships, ask the Navy, ask NPA, they don’t know. So when we hear that you are going to do this fantastic job, which for years has been one of Nigeria’s problems,  who am I to say know that I won’t help and support you. But God moves in mysterious ways, if I’m still alive by then, I will support the exercise. 

“When you enter 70, you collect your boarding pass, Iam  95 now, and I have collected my boarding pass, but I know I still have an assignment and  one of those jobs is to see a correct census in this country. 

“I want to appreciate you and the government for making available to you the necessary funds to acquire the gadgets. And I know you are all qualified people. You are all Nigerians, God will guide this job and most importantly, give you the courage. What Nigeria lacks is courage, ability to do what you should do. And may God also give you the wisdom to do the job.

“Fellow Nigerians,  now is the time to exercise your civic duty, let us know ourselves, let us know the number of houses we have in Nigeria so that we will be able to plan. If you don’t know your population, you can’t plan. You don’t even know how many schools to build.

“So,  this is the time for you to come out and I am certain that after the election, census conducted at the time will be beautiful and peaceful. Come out and perform your civic duties, it is either you come out to be counted or you help others to be counted.

Earlier, the NPC Chairman, Kwarra who noted that the visit was to seek the support and cooperation of the Elderstatesman ahead of next year’s census, said that the last Census was conducted in 2016, disclosing that next year’s census would be carried out after the general elections when the votes would have been cast and counted.

According to him, the exercise would be devoid of politics, adding that as  part of their  collective resolve in the commission to conduct a fully digitalised census in Nigeria, the Commission is leaving no stone unturned to achieve the set objective.