The National Population Commission (NPC) has assured that the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will be the best ever conducted in the history of the country.

NPC’s Federal Commissioner in Gombe State, Abubakar Danburam, stated this in Gombe on Tuesday during the inauguration of a 16-member Advocacy and Logistics Committee for the 2023 Population and Housing Census in the state.

Mr Danburam said with the efforts so far made by the commission as well as the digitalisation of the exercise, the 2023 census would be better than anyone conducted in the nation’s history of conducting census.

He said with the commission leveraging technology and modern approach to conducting census, there was no doubt that the 2023 exercise would be an improvement on the ones conducted in the past by the commission.

He said the priority of NPC in conducting accurate, reliable and acceptable census was a result of the importance of census for development planning and other interventions that would help improve citizens’ well-being.

According to him, the 2023 census will address the irregularities associated with previous exercises.

“I can remember very well the 1963 census, there were lots of irregularities due to lack of development. The 1973 census, there was little improvement compared to that of 1963.

“Subsequent censuses came up with a lot of improvements. The current census to be conducted, from the level of demarcation, is digital.

“It is so because we are now mature enough to use the satellite image. The satellite image was used for the demarcation and the demarcation is called the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD),” he said.

He explained that the EAD was the foundation of the current census: “This demarcation was done meticulously and neatly. Every part of this country has been demarcated, no leftover, no overlap.

“This is giving us all the assurance that the census to be conducted will be digital and hopefully the best census conducted so far in this country.”

While inaugurating the 16-man Committee, Manassah Jatau, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State who doubles as the chairman of the committee, said the 2023 census would provide vital information about the socio-economic variables of the nation’s population.

Mr Jatau advised the commission to take proactive measures to curb the threat of manipulation during the exercise as the NPC was working to conduct a credible census that would meet best global practices.

“The digital census is most likely to eliminate previous bottlenecks such as political, religious and cultural sentiments associated with accurate census in the country over the years.

“However, we should note that it is human beings that control and sometimes manipulate these machines that were meant for ease of carrying out tasks, jobs more accurately, with great precision,” he said.

To his committee members, the chairman said their duty was to enlighten, sensitise and get the support of residents of Gombe State towards the successful conduct of the exercise in May.

(NAN)