The House of Representatives on
Wednesday urged the Federal Government to fix dates for national census
scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2019.
The lawmakers lamented that
different figures were being bandied around as government has failed to count
its own people many years after the last exercise.
Under “Matters of Urgent Public
Importance”, Rep. Ossy Prestige (Abia-APGA), harped on the need to conduct the
census for proper planning and development in Nigeria.
Prestige quoted United Nations
Fund for Population Activities as saying that Nigeria had a dynamic economy and
large population expected to double in the next two decades.
He said that census was pivotal
and necessary tool for the growth of any emerging society, which in turns informed
decision-making at all facets of public and private sector.
Prestige pointed out that the
last census was held in 2006, and that the nation’s population then was
estimated at 140,431,790 million with estimated growth of less than three per
cent yearly.
The lawmaker expressed concern
that the lack of up-to-date and accurate data on the population in Nigeria had
affected national planning and development at all levels that culminated in
human and agricultural insecurity in Nigeria.
He said that a census based on
biometric data would capture all Nigerians, adding that it would also help to
solve problems of infiltration and internal security including kidnapping,
terrorism and armed robbery.
The motion was unanimously
adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu
Dogara.
The House, therefore, urged the
government to make provisions for census funds in 2019 Budget and also appealed
to international communities to support same.
It further asked the Federal
Government to mobilise the NPC for the completion of Enumeration Area
Demarcation and preliminary preparation of the census.
The House also mandated its
Committee on Legislative Compliance to liaise with the NPC for strict
compliance and report back to it for further legislative action.
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