Praise Chinecherem
Stakeholders in Anambra State have called for active participation in the 2023 Population and Housing Census to ensure accurate data were generated for policy making, planning and other developmental drives.
They said active participation in the exercise would also help in addressing political marginalisation, underdevelopment, lack of social amenities, unemployment and other issues.
The stakeholders drawn from National Orientation Agency (NOA), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), among others spoke at a Workshop organised by the National Population Commission (NPC) to finalise and present grassroot final list of localities for the forthcoming exercise.
State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barr. Charles Nwoji regretted that inaccurate data contributed to political marginalisation, inadequate provisions of basic amenities, among others, stressing that census, which he described as hallmark of national development was capable of assisting in re-writing such societal history.
Also speaking, Secretary to State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, represented by Mrs Onyinyechi Edokwe, urged residents to stand to be counted in order to boost their opportunities to make informed demands and decisions.
Administrative Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the State, Mr Jude Okwuonu, described accurate census as prerequisite for good planning and national development.
Contributing, Head of Local Government Administration in Idemili North LGA, Lady Rita Obuekwe, canvassed for grassroots awareness campaign to ensure massive participation during the exercise.
On his part, National President, Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), Barr. Titus Akpudo, charged community leaders to join hands with NPC to ensure proper documentation and enumeration of all categories of persons, including the aged, the young, the sick, pregnant and nursing women in their localities.
Earlier, Federal Commissioner representing Anambra in the NPC, Mr Chidi Ezeoke said the workshop was targeted at compiling all localities demarcated during the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) on Local Government Area basis showing coverage and location on interactive maps.
He said, “The compendium of localities in census is a tool for census data dissemination as well as for national planning and development.
“Population and Housing census will be released up to the lowest level of the census entities which according to him, would be as small as a camp.”
State Director of NPC, Dr Joachin Ulasi, explained that those residing in urban cities need not return to their towns of origins but should rather provide appropriate data in the places provided by enumerators, stressing anything on the contrary would impact negatively on their places of residence.
