Federal government has explained that President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision on conducting population census this year was borne out of his desire to bequeath an enduring legacy of evidence-based planning for sustainable development.
The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this position yesterday in Abuja at the 24th edition of President Muhammadu Buhari Scorecard media series featuring the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Alhaji Nasir Isa Kwarra, said the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census would improve national planning.
The minister said the nation’s population remains the most important equation in our national development.
He said the people are both the agents and beneficiaries of the development process, hence development must start and end with meeting the aspirations of the people for improved living standards.
While noting that this year’s census is a legacy programme for the administration, he added that the year’s exercise will be the first time in 17 years that it is being done in Nigeria.
Mohammed also pointed out that the conduct of the census is a priority programme for President Buhari, saying: “Today’s edition is a special one because this is the first time since this series started that we are having a Special Guest who is not a minister – and that guest is the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Alhaji Nasir Isa Kwarra. He is here to tell us about the 2023 National Population and Housing Census, after which we will inaugurate the Census Publicity Committee – which I chair.
