By Emeka Amaefula
NATIONAL POPULATION COMMISSION TRAINS 99 PERSONNEL IN SOUTH-SOUTH REGION ON 2023 CENSUS CRITICAL PROCESS
The National Population Commission Abuja in its quest for accurate 2023 National Population and Housing Census exercise organized A-3 Day Zonal Level Training Of Local Government Area Comptroller on Critical Process which commenced across the six-geo-political zones in Nigeria from Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th of March, 2023. The South-South Zonal training took place at the Hall of Nigerian Bar Association-NBA Old GRA Port Harcourt. The event was organized under the supervision of the Chairman, 2023 Census Committee Dr. Ipalibo Macdonald Harry who was represented at the event by Lady Nwineh Barika Glory who doubles as the State Director National Population Commission based at Rivers state as he addressed the participants in the six geo-political zones from Abuja centre. She stated that “The training we are having is the training of Zonal Comptrollers from the South-South states Port Harcourt Centre which comprises Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers State. The Comptrollers are those who are in charge of the Local Government Areas. They are at the grassroots and are the ones that will carry out the Population and Housing Census 2023 exercise. So, there’s a need for them to be properly trained on all the methodologies and their roles in the conduct of the 2023 Census. That is the training we are doing today. It’s A-3-day Training which started on Tuesday 7th to end on the 9th of March, 2023.”
Stating further on the number of participants that attended the event she admitted that “For the Comptrollers we have Akwa Ibom 31, Bayelsa 8, Cross River 18, Rivers state 23, which gives us 80 for the Comptrollers. We also have Field Coordinators who represent each of the States because they are going to be in the Field during the Census in total, we have 4-per-state which gives us 99 participants. Then we also have PAs and TAs of Honourable Federal Commissioners of these 4-states.”
On the challenges being experienced by the NPC she said “Part of the challenges that needed to be addressed is what is being addressed right now because if the Comptrollers are just pushed to the field without proper training it wouldn’t have been easy and they wouldn’t have been able to perform optimally during the Census. So, the problem of training is being solved now, because educating them and getting them acquainted with all the modalities and technologies of what they ought to know about the Census 2023, the modalities, the techniques, everything they need to put in place.”
For the State Director Ms Nwineh Barika Glory “Special Population, we have a set of people we refer to as Special population these are people who do not have a permanent place that they stay like you have the Nomads those cattle herders, you know they move for greener Pasture and they are not found in their localities of their origin. But they settle there for a period and after a while they move again. So, everybody must be captured at a point during the census. If information about their location is not given and captured then we have lost that set of the population. And to the South here we have the Fishing and farming settlements. So, these people leave their homes and go and settle at their farms and Offshore or Oil rig platforms. from their localities to go to the Farms where they build temporary homes and stay there for a period of time until they now come out just like the Fishermen do too. That’s what is found in the South. So, those are the people who are called the special population. We also have those people who by virtue of problems don’t have any place for their abode for themselves. So, they decide to live anywhere and put themselves together. Lunatics are those mentally deranged ones in society. If you have listened to the papers presented you will understand that at the Census night which is 12midnight of the day before Census proper that’s when those who we called the Lunatics are counted because there is a common belief that within that period of the night they are settled and calmer in their sanity. Like we are in Port Harcourt if you go to Mile One Flyover/ Isaac Boro Park you will see some of these lunatics and they will be captured during Census.
The presentation of papers was serially done by several specialists and experts on topics relating to the effective conduct of the 2023 Population Census exercise.
The Chief Magistrate Ilanye Diane Brown-Akagha in her admonition to the participants said “I want you to bear in mind that you have taken Oath of Secrecy. This exercise is not just to fulfil all righteousness. You will understand that when you default. If you think it is just a mere ceremony to wait until you default, then you will know the weight of what you have just done. So, please don’t get caught. In the web of the penalty. More importantly you have gone through some training and this Oath is to help you carry out whatever you have been taught effectively. The task before you is a heavy one therefore you need adequate preparations which I am certain that your teachers have imparted to you. So, please whatever you teach out there in the field is where you will exercise them.
“You need to remember everything you have been taught. Again, you have to look at your conscience to ensure that you are diligent in your work, meaning that the outcome of your work will impart this nation one way or the other. It’s a shame that Nigeria does not have accurate data of its citizens So, we are looking unto you to change that circle. And we can only change that circle if you carry out your duties conscientiously. Shun every form of temptation. Do what is right and you will get the right result. So, having said that, I wish you all very best as you go out into your various fields. And I know that this work is a public work, it is God’s work. Therefore, He will guard you and He will protect you, So, go and return in peace.” There was a presentation of communique at the end of the training.
—–Emeka Amaefula +234(0)8111813069
