The National Population Commission, on Tuesday, disclosed that about one million personnel had been recruited before the postponement of the 2023 census earlier scheduled to hold between May 3 and 7.
The NPC Federal Commissioner in charge of Benue State, Mrs Kupchi Iyanya, stated this at a media briefing held in Makurdi.
Iyanya explained that adequate preparation had been made for the rescheduled census.
She said, “The recruitment of the ad hoc workers had been completed before the rescheduled census through a rigorous online process in which about one million workers had been screened and found worthy of assignment.
“The commission had acquired Personal Digital Assistants for the 2023 Census. About 500,000 of these devices had been delivered to the 36 state offices and the FCT and configured for the exercise.”
But NPC Federal Commissioner in Osun State, Senator Mudashiru Hussain, speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with some media executives in Osogbo,said the postponement of the exercise has given the NPC more time to prepare.
Hussain noted that some of the devices needed for the census were not yet available as of the time of the postponement was announced.
Hussain said, “The postponement also gives the commission the opportunity to further perfect the processes and system for the conduct of the first general digital census. It (the postponement) is a blessing in disguise, because if we were to hold the census then, we may be short of devices to be used by our ad hoc staff.
“The commission has acquired personal digital assistance for the 2023 census. About 500,000 of these devices have been delivered in the 36 states and the FCT and configured for the exercise. We are still expecting 350,000 devices which have been approved before the exit of former president Muhammadu Buhari.
“The focus of the commission is to ensure that all the resources expended so far are safeguarded and the nation does not need to start all over when the census is to be conducted.”
