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Reps to investigate N200bn spent on postponed national census
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the N200 billion spent on the postponed 2023 national census by the National Population Commission (NPC).
This followed the adoption of a motion co-sponsored by lawmakers from Anambra State, Dominic Okafor and his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Patrick Umoh, at plenary on Wednesday.
Okafor, who moved the motion, said the census was most necessary, especially at a time when the Federal Government in conjunction with state governments was working on palliatives for vulnerable citizens in the country.
He added that NPC had the mandate to conduct periodic census surveys, and other methods to enumerate the country’s population and to provide data for national planning.
Okafor recalled that a national census was last conducted in Nigeria in 2006.
He said: “The data collected in the 2006 census is far from reality today and cannot validly form a solid base for the formation of national economic policies that will aid the federal government in administering viable national planning.
“The commission has admitted to having spent N200 billion of the N800 billion budgeted for the planning mid-execution of the 2023 population and housing census, which was postponed.
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“The financial investment in 2023 population census planning would have improved economic planning and distribution of palliatives in the country.
“If the population and housing census fails to take place within 12 months, the information gathered across the country would become stale, a waste of resources, and the country would have to increase costs of gathering fresh information.”
The House, thereafter, urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a date for conducting the 2023 population to facilitate accurate economic planning.
The parliament equally urged the federal government to constitute census tribunals in designated centres in accordance with Section 28 of the National Population Commission, Act, 2004 after fixing a date for the census.
The lawmakers charged the NPC not to relent in its preparation for the exercise.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the Committee on Population to investigate the money expended on the postponed exercise.
He asked the committee to liaise with the NPC to ensure a successful population and housing census when proclaimed.
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