The National Population Commission (NPC) has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will announce the new dates for the 2023 National Census and Housing Enumeration exercise.
The NPC chairman, Nasir Kwarra, disclosed this to state house correspondents after his delegation debriefed the president at the presidential villa in Abuja.
Former president, Muhammadu Buhari, postponed the census and housing enumeration a few days before the exercise’s commencement to allow the incumbent some input.
Kwarra on Thursday had a meeting with Tinubu nine weeks after the census was postponed last April and said that the president will announce new dates for the exercise.
At the briefing, the NPC submitted its report to the President which he is expected to study and reach an informed decision on what date to fix the nationwide exercise.
According to the Census boss, the Commission will request more financial provisions because the longer the exercise is delayed, the more its financial requirements expand.
“We briefed him (President Tinubu) fully on the level of our preparedness, the outcomes that we envisage and I’ll like to say that Mr President has graciously approved to support the Commission in the conduct of census and our preparatory activities, though we’re not stuck at all, but he has given us the courage and the impetus to upscale our preparation,” he said.
“So we’ll continue our preparations and we’ll hear from him eventually, that is, the date that the census will take place because we’ve made a submission to him that he will study before getting back to us.”
Kwarra further said that the President assured the commission of his support.
“He has given that to us and we thank him immensely for this for also realising the importance of data for the purpose of national planning and development,” Kwarra explained.
The census was first scheduled for March 27 but was postponed to May 3 – 5 as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shifted the governorship election from March 11 to March 18.
At a forum with members of the diplomatic corps on April 27 in Abuja, Kwarra had revealed that the NPC was yet to procure all the devices required for the census.
He added that the NPC was still expecting donations from the organised private sector and from other key stakeholders.
