The planned 2022 national population census may suffer a major setback if the insecurity across the country is not contained.
President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government had budgeted N178.09 billion for the national population and housing census in the 2022 budget.
Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra, last week, revealed that the commission had almost concluded the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in 772 local government areas. Two local government areas are outstanding.
NPC chairman revealed that the inability of the commission to demarcate the two outstanding local government areas in Borno and Kaduna states was as a result of severe security challenges being witnessed in the affected areas.
“Out of 10 wards in Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, we have only been able to demarcate two because of security challenges in those wards; the second is in Abadan in Borno; the security challenge there is heavy and we couldn’t even go there at all.”
Kwarra told Daily Sun that President Buhari has been foot dragging in issuing a proclamation because of worsening insecurity.
The NPC scribe said the commission was worried that some states in the South East, one state in theNorth Central, four in North West and one in North East may not be accessible by enumerators and census officers during the exercise.
He listed Imo and Ebonyi states in South East; Niger State in North Central; Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara States in North West and Borno State in North East. He added that parts of Yobe might be affected too.
The commissioner said NPC might be forced to deploy electronic technology to retrieve data from the areas if the security challenges persist.
