We’re counting on you for credible headcount – NPC tells Data Quality Managers

Praise Chinecherem 

The National Population Commission (NPC) has reiterated its preparedness to give Nigerians a credible, reliable and verifiable 2023 Population and Housing Census.

Federal Commissioner representing the Commission in the state, Mr. Chidi Ezeoke disclosed this at the closing ceremony of a 10-day state level training of 26 Data Quality Managers (DQMs) in the state.

He described the DQMs as most important Information and Communication Technology personnel as far as the 2023 digital Census was concerned, urging them to accord the assignment every seriousness it deserved.

He said, “The success of census largely depends on the quality of training, workflow, efficient field operations and commitment of staff as well as mechanisms for effective on-field Data Quality Management and editing.

“You can’t talk of a digital census without the backing of DQMs. Your job is so critical to the success of the exercise because the data management and its processing are key to the reliability, credibility and verifiability of the census.

“You’re assigned with the task of ensuring that the census data collection process is smooth and the data census is correct, complete and consistent with the principles of the census.

“You’re going to profile or board all the field enumerators and supervisors in the tablets. You’re also going to geofence all the EAs to ensure the officers don’t trespass to other EAs with their tablets to enumerate.”

The State Director, Dr. Joachim Ulasi a total of 1,175 facilitators and special workforce have so far been screened ahead of the exercise in the state.

He said the Commission had insisted on

thorough and transperant screening process of ad-hoc staff to ensure applications with errors, including impersonations were dictated and dropped.

“The screening process has been thorough and transperant. We’ve so far screened 728 facilitators and 431 special work who are going to train enumerators, supervisors, data quality assistants and others in the various local government areas of the state,” he added.