NPC plans to conduct pre-test census in four Niger councils

The National Population Commission (NPC), Niger State, has said that it will conduct second pre-test exercise in 12 enumeration areas in four local councils of Niger State,

The Federal Commissioner representing Niger State, Muhammad Dattijo Usman, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Minna, yesterday, said the councils included Suleja, Wushishi, Gbako and Lavun.

Usman said the four councils were demarcated between 2015 and 2020 during the first and final phases of the enumeration area demarcation.

He said that the commission had earlier organised intensive training of the trainer workshop between November 17 and 22, 2021, while the state training followed immediately and end on December 2, 2021, adding that during the state training, comptrollers and enumerators were duly trained.

The federal commissioner further said that the pre-test exercise was a critical segment of the census proper, and a preparatory process, which would provide the opportunity to test all aspects of the census programme and instruments in advance.

He also said that the pre-test was to assess and test census methodologies, questionnaire, data collection method, manual for field staff, instruction manuals, data editing and coding, as well as data processing and tabulation in preparation for actual census.

He said the measures were targeted at having a credible, reliable and acceptable census nationally and internationally.