The National Population Commission (NPC) has sought collaboration with the National Orientation Agency to sensitise Nigerians on the importance of participating in the 2023 census.
The Director General of NOA, Dr. Garba Agbari, during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the NPC on Wednesday, said there is a need for joint action by the two agencies to streamline messages that would spur participation in the exercise.
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Abari said since NOA has presence in all local governments and villages across the federation, it would help to pass the message on why citizens need to be counted for the exercise.
He said, “We need easily receivable messaging that will reach out to the populace that will make them to be aware that the census is not only a government affair but also the duty of individuals to make it a success. Even though it is government driven, funded and initiated, the impact of a successful census is for the benefit of the citizens.
“With more than 60 per cent of the population being youths, we also need to incorporate social media to reach out to them including FM stations that broadcast music, television screens that show the latest Netflix movies, WhatsApp, Instagram Facebook and Tik-Tok.”
On his part the NPC Chairman, Nasir Isah Kwarra, said the commission had been collaborating with staff of the NOA but is yet to be formalized at the federal level.
Speaking on the importance of the census Kwarra said, “we can’t say we won’t conduct elections because of the leadership vacuum, so also we can’t say we will not conduct census because it is important for planning and policy making because if we do not have data, we can’t plan. If we plan, we will be moving without directions.”
He added that the essence for deploying technology for the census is to bring about transparency, efficiency and exactness.
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