The Sokoto State Government on Tuesday inaugurated an 18-member Publicity Committee for the upcoming National Population and Housing Census in the state, with Dep. Gov. Manniru Dan’iya as its Chairman.
In a speech at the event performed by the deputy governor, he said that the task of the committee was to mobilise residents for a successful census in the state.
He charged the committee to deploy different modalities in creating more public awareness and ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.
He further said that the State Government had invested heavily in human capital development, social infrastructure, agricultural development and other socioeconomic activities.
”People need to know that census goes beyond knowing population and geographic identification with information on sex, education, health, employment and migration status.
”Nigeria’s population with housing evaluation will no doubt put value to the data that will be used for human development and right planning in all sectors,” the deputy governor said.
Earlier, the NPC National Commissioner in charge of Sokoto State, Alhaji Chiso Dattijo, said that the 2023 census would be conducted digitally, using modern telecommunication instruments.
Dattijo, represented by the Director Training in the commission, Alhaji Maiakwai Dogondaji, said that the Federal Government constituted two main committees to coordinate the conduct of the exercise.
Dogondaji listed the committees as the state population census security and logistics committee and the state population census publicity committee.
“The two committees have been mandated to deliberate, strategise and sensitise citizens on the 2023 national population census in the state.
“Similarly, local government publicity committee has been constituted to ensure effective publicity coverage for the exercise at that level,” Dattijo said.
According to him, their terms of reference include to widely carry out an enlightenment and sensitisation campaign on the exercise.
The committees were also expected to evolve and implement effective publicity strategies for both state and local government census publicity committees.
They were also authorised to co-opt any person or persons relevant to the execution of the assignment.
The State Director of NPC, Alhaji Malami Gagi, urged members of the committees to appreciate the imperatives of census in nation building.
Gagi, therefore, underscored the need for effective advocacy, publicity and public enlightenment programmes to ensure the success of the exercise.
He said: “For any country to develop, there is a need for accurate population data of its citizens for effective national planning, resource sharing and development.
“It is my observation that members of these committees were carefully selected based on professionalism and experience.
“Therefore, I have no doubt that you would carry out the assignment to the best of your ability and in the best interest of the state.
“The overarching vision of the 2023 census is to produce not only accurate, reliable and acceptable census data but also an inclusive and user-friendly data that would be used by all segments of society for development planning and critical programme interventions. (NAN)
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