Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, called on Nigerians to submit themselves for enumeration during the forthcoming census, saying accurate census data are needed to tackle security challenges in the country.

Okowa said, in a keynote address delivered by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Patrick Ukah, at a one-day stakeholders summit on 2023 Population and Housing Census held in Asaba, that census also gives an overview of the population, where they are and who they are, which, to a large extent, lay a solid foundation for evidence-based and reliable demographic data for national planning and development.

The governor revealed that the summit was meant to strengthen collaboration and solicit the cooperation and support of key stakeholders for successful conduct of the 2023 Census

He described population data as critical to development planning, stressing that any government desirous of achieving socio-economic development needs to know how many people require basic amenities such as light, water, schools, housing, health facilities, and education.

He said: “No country relies solely on its estimated population because such estimates ignore the demographics unearthed by census data, which are needed for national planning purposes.”

National Population Commissioner (Delta State), Richard Odibo, said the commission was out to sensitise all Deltans to the need to be counted during the exercise.

According to Odibo, there is no plan whatsoever to shift the census as President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted it will hold immediately after the general elections.

The state Director, NPC, Lotobi Okonkwo, said the census would help Nigeria raise accurate and reliable data.