..Sues for support, cooperation of the DSS

…says Commission ready to conduct first digital census

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Federal Commissioner representing Benue State at the National Population Commission, NPC, Mrs. Patricia Kupchi has clarified that the planned national population census has not been cancelled as the Commission is fully ready for the proclamation of the President to commence the enumeration exercise.

She noted that the Commission had been working round the clock to ensure its preparedness ahead of time stressing that all the trained personnel for the exercise were still undergoing online retraining exercise ahead of the presidential proclamation.

The Federal Commissioner who made this known Tuesday when she led her management team on a courtesy visit to the State Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, Mr. Jonathan Kure in Makurdi said “we are good to go anytime; we are retraining all those who were earlier trained for the exercise.

“So census has not been cancelled. We are all working towards having a successful exercise and waiting for the proclamation and we will move into the fields.”

Mrs. Kupchi who commended and thanked the DSS for the support it was extending to the commission in the various communities which had ensured the safety of its personnel and materials, sued for the sustenance of the support.

She said, “the DSS has been part and parcel of our activities and we are grateful that the command has never failed us. You are always there with us in the communities and sometimes without our knowing it. You undertake surveillance and intelligence gathering in the various communities in the 23 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state in order to ensure the safety of our materials and personnel. We are indeed grateful and we will continue to work closely and sustain the partnership with you in all our activities to ensure that the coming census is a huge success.”

Responding, the DSS State Director who commended Mrs. Kupchi for ensuring the sustenance of inter-agency collaboration in the state assured the delegation of a robust collaboration and relationship between the NPC and DSS in the state.

Mr. Kure who noted the important role the NPC plays in national development, pointed out that data collated by the NPC goes a long way to help the government tailor its policies and programmes.

He said it would be a failure on the part of the DSS if it could not give desired attention to the NPC in terms of provision of security for its personnel and materials across the state.

He said, “the NPC is top most for us because the data from you is vital since it is the foundation for data in the country. Government needs good data with which it can plan effectively, that is why the NPC is very important. Therefore issues that affect the NPC should be accorded adequate attention.

“So your coming will spur us to do more in our support for the NPC. The DSS is ever ready and alive to its responsibilities.

“I can therefore assure you of a robust relationship with your office. We will support you and anytime you have need to see us on any issue we all always be there for you to ensure that your activities are seamless in the communities.”