Ahead of the 2023 housing and population census, the National Population Commission has declared that the exercise will turn around the economy of the country.
The Federal Commissioner of the NPC, Seyi Aderinokun, disclosed this on Wednesday, during the commission’s stakeholders’ summit on the 2023 population and housing census, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Aderinokun, who represents Ogun State at the commission and spoke on the theme, ‘2023 Census – Getting People Involved,’ declared that the country’s population was a critical factor in achieving sustainable development.
She further stressed that, without proper and accurate data of the Nigerian population, the country may continue to struggle for development.
Aderinokun insisted that the government could not continue to base Nigeria’s population on assumption, hence, the urgency of the exercise come 2023.
She said, “The last population census conducted in this country was in 2006, another one was supposed to hold in 2016, ten years after but, didn’t hold.
“Population is a critical factor in nation building and this census will develop our country and change our underdevelopment.
“As you are aware, the National Population Commission convened a national stakeholders summit on August 11, 2022, at the state house conference in Abuja.
“Following the successful conduct of the national stakeholders’ summit, it has become imperative to hold the state level stakeholders summit which we are holding today.”
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun said the population census is critical to national development.
Abiodun said the exercise will help Nigeria in its economic and development planning, which will further enhance the proper allocation of resources.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, stressed that the outcome of the census would help the state government in the provision of amenities for residents in the state.
She said, “In order to ensure that the indices on population, economic planning, including but not limited to housing are realistic, no efforts should be spared in ensuring optimum conduct in our country.
“Population data is critical to development planning and any government desirous of achieving development strides needs to know how many people require basic amenities such as power, water, health facilities and education.
“No country relies solely on its estimated population because such estimate might not be demographically correct data which are needed for national planning purposes.”
