The Awaited 2017 Population Census

THE AWAITED 2017 POPULATION CENSUS

     
Undoubtedly, you will wholeheartedly agree with my person that every society or locality, regardless of size, is naturally endowed with a certain number of people referred to as its population, which increases periodically based on the birth and death rates of the society in question.

     

 Concisely, population census is defined as an official survey of the total number of persons or animals of the same specie coexisting in a given arena. Similarly, it can further be described as the summation of all the organisms of the same group that are inhabitants of a certain geographical area as well as possess the capability of interbreeding.

     The last time I painstakingly checked, in most cases or quarters, it was the human population that was mainly taken into consideration whenever it called for census, obviously because the said population remains the only mode of population that determines the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) coupled with the overall net worth of a given society or country, and I wish to state categorically that Nigeria isn’t an exception in this regard.

     Based on the United Nations’ recent estimation, Nigeria is regarded as the seven most populous country in the world with about 178, 517, 000 people as at July 1, 2014 which is equivalent to about 2.49% of the entire global population. However, currently likewise many other nations, there’s no exact figure of the country’s population owing to several challenges or constraints, and it’s pertinent to acknowledge that suchlike phenomenon negatively affects the workforce of any country involved thereby disrupting its socio-economic and political strength.

     In view of the aforesaid assertion, it’s imperative for Nigeria to take a severe measure toward ascertaining the exact number of persons that hail from the country as well as ensure that the growth of such population is adequately controlled. So, as the nation awaits her next population census, come 2017, which is usually observed at every ten years interval, the National Population Commission (NPC) is expected to leave no stone unturned towards ensuring that nothing but absolute success is recorded during the awaited exercise.

     Ceteris paribus, the census in question, which its Enumeration Areas Demarcation (EAD) is ongoing, was meant to take place this year being 2016 since the last one successfully held in 2006. This very lapse implies that either the census wasn’t properly captured in the 2015 budget by the immediate administration or that the money budgeted for the project was misappropriated by the said administration. Whichever reason that occasioned the loophole, the present government ably led by President Mohammadu Buhari ought to ensure that the aberration does not repeat itself.

     In the same vein, there’s a compelling need for rigorous awareness campaign regarding the project. I want to firmly disabuse the concerned authority of the notion that every Nigerian is currently aware of the forthcoming exercise. We must take into cognizance that not every citizen of this country, likewise other developing nations, is privileged to listen to the radio, watch television, read the newspaper/magazine, access the internet or the social media, as the case may be. In view of this, I want to notify us that at the moment, at least, about 35% of Nigerian adults are yet to be informed of the awaited 2017 population census.

     To this end, I implore the NPC to employ all the needed avenues with a view to ensuring that no citizen of the country is sidelined as regards information. They should subscribe with the various telecom firms toward issuing regular bulk SMS to the teeming Nigerians. Even at that, not everyone has access to a cell phone; thus, in addition to electronic and print media, we must involve such other means of information dissemination as street awareness, town-hall meetings, and what have you. Town hall meetings would conscientize the traditional rulers or town union leaders to engage the services of their respective town criers thereby enabling door-to-door awareness mechanism. Against this backdrop, collaborating with other relevant corporate bodies to include the National Orientation Agency (NOA), civil society groups, religious institutions, and schools, among others, would be very helpful.

     Inter alia, contrary to the De-facto method of enumeration that’s intended to be used by the NPC during the exercise, which is not unusual compared to the previously conducted ones, I strongly insist that the De-jure method of enumeration would be more reliable and accurate for the exercise. The latter, if utilized, would unarguably enable the personnel to acquire the clear picture of every citizen of the country thereby enabling the commission (NPC) to arrive at a holistic conclusion.

    
The De-facto method is the enumeration of individuals as of where they are found during the census, regardless of where they normally reside. Whilst, the De-jure method is the enumeration of individuals as of where they usually reside, regardless of where they are on the day of the census. Suffice it to say that the former involves head-count contrary to the latter which mainly involves house-count.

     The De-facto method unequivocally showcases that there’s a tangible probability or tendency of not counting every Nigerian as long as the exercise lasts. For instance, if Mr A wasn’t found at his place of residence when the census officials came around, there is also a strong possibility of not locating/finding him at other residences or institutions he is affiliated to throughout the exercise. May be when they would visit his/her home in the city, he/she would be at his/her village home, and vice-versa.

     Besides, what’s the possibility of ensuring that all Nigerians resident abroad would be available during the exercise? How can we be assured that every Nigerian in the diaspora would sacrifice whatever he/she is doing over there for the census? Even if based on their patriotic nature, they eventually wish to return home in order to be counted, how can you guarantee that they will all afford the required flight ticket? Or, are the census officials going to travel abroad to ensure that every one of them is duly counted? These, among other crucial and sensitive factors, are required to be seriously taken into consideration.

      The gospel truth remains that every Nigerian, both at home and abroad, needs to be counted because there’s a tendency that one who’s based abroad might decides to return to Nigeria the following month after the census, and thereafter becomes a permanent resident of the country. Of course, we are very much aware of the socio-economic implication of such decision especially in a situation where the person in question was not counted during the census.

    
The De-jure method, which involves house-count, would definitely ensure that every member of a given home or family irrespective of where he/she resides or is based is duly counted during the census. People shall be counted based on their respective states of origin; in other words, the houses to be visited shall be those that are owned by only the indigenes of the affected state. This approach would also enable us to acquire the exact number or statistics of persons that hail from each state of the federation. During the census, the NPC officials need to request from those present at the houses visited the documents that indicate the authenticity of the membership or citizenship of the absentees or those residing abroad, as the case may be, such as birth certificate, LGA’s certificate of origin and/or evidence of schools attended.

     At this juncture, we’re convinced that this platform (De-jure method), which is result-oriented, wouldn’t be only more accurate and reliable as indicated earlier but cost cum labour effective. In fact, there’s need for the apt authorities to extend hand of fellowship to the cognoscenti towards attaining a hitch-free and successful 2017 population census in Nigeria.

     Above all, we have been reliably informed by the NPC that only its staff would be involved in the exercise; it’s a very wonderful and welcome idea. But the commission is required to use every means to decisively warn its personnel or any concerned body to steer clear from any form of unpatriotic act including cheating and indolence while the concernment lasts.

     Most importantly, it’s obvious that the project in question is extremely capital intensive; therefore, in addition to the budgeted fund, financial assistance is required from concerned individuals, stakeholders, as well as non-governmental organizations. Hence, the commission in collaboration with other relevant agencies ought to set up a competent, formidable and reliable ad-hoc committee strictly for fund raising and other related matters. This, no doubt, would go a long way towards acquiring all the needed funds for the long-awaited wholesome project, as we look forward to seeing that Nigeria in her entirety is perpetually salvaged. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

Twitter: @mediambassador