The 2023 Population and Housing Census, according to Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is a legacy programme and a high goal for President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.
He made this statement on Thursday in Abuja at the 24th PMB Administration Scorecard Series event, which was held to highlight the accomplishments of the government.
A 29-member National Census Publicity Committee led by the minister was reportedly launched at the occasion, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Mohammed, who emphasised the significance of the census to national progress, highlighted that the nation's most recent census was conducted in 2006, or almost 17 years ago.
According to him, the administration's decision to conduct the census was motivated by a desire to leave behind a lasting legacy of evidence-based planning for sustainable growth.
“Our population remains the most critical equation in our national development.
“The people are both the agents and beneficiaries of the development process, hence development must start and end with meeting the people's aspirations for improved living standards.
“The Buhari Administration had invested heavily in human capital development, social infrastructure and agricultural development, among others, all part of building Nigeria’s economic base.
“The conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census is therefore to complement the giant strides of government by laying a sustainable basis for a planned and prosperous Nigeria,” he said.
Mohammed commended the efforts of the National Population Commission (NPC)to positively rewrite the history of the census in the country through meticulous planning and massive deployment of technology at every stage of the national exercise.
He urged Nigerians to extend maximum cooperation to the commission in its bid to deliver accurate and reliable demographic data for planning purposes.
Inaugurating the national census publicity committee, the minister underscored the importance of sensitising Nigerians to the advantages of the census and the need to make themselves available.
He assured the Chairman of NPC, Nasir Kwarra, that he would deploy all existing communication structures of his ministry in carrying out the assignment.
The minister said: ”For effective communication and sensitisation, the committee will be replicated at the States and Local Government levels.” (NAN)