Population: PAN Urges Buhari To Make Proclamation For Census In 2018

The Population Association of Nigeria (PAN), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider making a proclamation for the conduct of a national population and housing census in 2018.According to a statement signed by Professor Peter Ogunjuyigbe, President, PAN, the association noted that in line with the United Nations Recommendation, the next census ought to have been conducted in 2016, being 10 years after the 2006 Census, stressing that further delay in the conduct of the next census beyond 2018 may undermine the planning process of the nations march towards sustainable development.Ogunjuyigbe reiterated that no country can make any tangible progress towards sustainable development without timely, reliable and accurate census figure.According to him, for any developmental planning, census figure is paramount, Population is dynamic and with the continuous inter-play of migration, mortality and fertility, population of an area will witness either an increase or decrease. So it becomes imperative for all nations to conduct census regularly.He also noted that in spite of the recent proclamation of National Assembly towards the conduct of another census in 2018, there is nothing on ground to show that government is committed or is on the same page with National Population Commission (NPC), noting that the commission has commenced preparatory activities for the next census with the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) of one local government area in each of the states and Abuja using satellite imagery.The association however acknowledged the dwindling resources at the disposal of the federal government occasioned by recession and the huge resources required for the next census but stated that short term cost consideration should not prevent the nation from considering reaping the long term benefits of the census.
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