DAILY CHAMPION
Monday, September 05 2005
Census controversy normal, says NPC
BISIRIYU OLAOYE,Deputy News Editor
AGAIN, the National Population Commission (NPC) has ruled out the inclusion of religion and ethnicity in this year’s census questionnaire.
Its chairman, Chief Samu’ula Danko Makama who restated this urged those threatening to disrupt the exercise to keep the peace for a successful headcount as well as facilitate socio-economic development of the country.
He also said controversy which is normal during headcount may trail this year’s census.
He spoke Friday night during a dinner hosted by the Commission for media executive at Golden Gate Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos.
In what seemed to be a final word on the controversial issue, the NPC chairman said since government did not base the allocation of resources on ethnicity and religion, the two factors are not significant in the census questionnaire.
It would be recalled that the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) had threatened that it would not cooperate with the census enumerators at the forthcoming census just as the people of Ogoni Kingdom in Rivers State said they may not take part in the census if ethnicity is not reflected in the questionnaire.
Apparently determined to seek amicable resolution of the issue, the NPC last week announced that it would meet with MASSOB and other such groups.
But reacting to these, weekend the NPC chairman said: "Let me remind you of three main reasons of census. One, for revenue allocation, two, delineation of constituencies and three, collation of data for necessary facilities.
"Government does not allocate revenue because of Christianity, Islam and other religions, government delineates constituencies for the benefit of communities and the provision of social amenities. These two (ethnicity and religion) are insignificant if you look at these factors.
"Everything is not desirable of expedient, it is inexpedient. People should keep calm for the success of the census," Makama stated.
Asserting that the commission is reaching out to civil society groups to mobilise Nigerians for the exercise, Chief Makama disclosed: The national Census Publicity committee has been holding national consultative meeting with civil society groups in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)."
He also disclosed that the result of this year’s census would be out in 2006 in accordance with the directive of President Olusegun Obasanjo and to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepare for the 2007 elections.
According to the INEC chairman, with the availability of high speed scanners and other equipment, the Commission would meet the 2006 deadline for the release of census results.
Chief Makama who said controversy on this year’s census could not be ruled out, assured that the Commission would do its best to minimise this.
"There is no census without controversy in this world. Nigeria cannot be an Island on itself. But we are going to do our best.
"The commission would continue to remain open on all issues relating to the census. We shall be firm and fair to all concerned. Independent observers, national and international, are we encouraged to observe the census process including the preparatory activities. The 2005 census is an open agenda for a developed and prosperous Nigeria ." Chief Makama further stated.
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