Census 2005
It is heart-warming that the
National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced preparations for next year’s
census. In order to enhance the general success of the exercise, the commission
has earmarked N55 million for the first phase of the on-going Enumeration Area
Demarcation (EAD) field work.
The demarcation is a 13-month exercise planned in three
phases and is expected to end a few months to the proper census scheduled to
hold between November and December 2005. Undoubtedly, the early start, as it
were, is a clear indication that the commission is determined to make a success
of the exercise.
The up-coming census, which has been postponed twice in two
years, is central to planning and development. The importance of vital
statistics and demographic information derivable from a successful national
census cannot be over emphasised. National planning, distribution or
redistribution of resources ought not be based on mere projections, as has been
the case since 1991, when the last exercise was held. In any case, that census
was mired in controversy as the figures that were released were unacceptable to
many sections of the country.
In 2001, when the next exercise was due, lack of resources
mitigated heavily against it and led to outright cancellation. Given that
previous attempts at a reliable and acceptable census did not yield much result,
there is the need for every hand to be on deck in order to ensure nothing works
against the next exercise.
The zeal with which the National Population Commission has
embraced its duty must not be doused through lack of funds. This is imperative
because the NPC has begun to complain about a debilitating cash squeeze which
might make a nonsense of the programme. Staff of the commission are said to be
owed salaries and allowances to the tune of N485 million such that some of them
are threatening to forestall the exercise except their emoluments are paid. To
make matters worse, of the N46 billion required for the exercise only N5 billion
is said to be budgeted for the commission, this year.
The result may be increased backlog of salaries and non-
payment of the additional auxiliary staff numbering 8,189 expected to join the
permanent staff of the commission in the exercise. Steps must be taken to ensure
that poor funding is not allowed to mar the exercise. This administration should
ensure that the up-coming census succeeds because it will go down in history as
one of its major achievements. Having postponed the head count twice in the past
two years, the government must ensure that it is not put off again in whatever
guise.
Accurate population statistics will help the administration
make a success of many of its programmes including the Universal Basic
Education. But much of the problem the nation has had to encounter in this
regard has to do with the politicisation of head- counts. This is to be expected
given that allocation of resources and revenue has a direct bearing with
population. The matter is not helped by the poor attitude of our people to vital
registration. Perhaps, had substantial progress been made in this regard the
resort to nation-wide census periodically would have become superfluous.
Thus efforts must be geared to ensure the registration of births and deaths,
which could be updated over time to obtain the population of the country. When
this has been achieved, the nation will be saved the enormous resources
committed to periodic census and the attendant acrimony.
