TINUBU LAUNCHES NATIONAL CENSUS COMMITTEE WITH THREE-WEEK DEADLINE FOR INTERIM REPORT
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated a high-level committee to oversee the upcoming national population and housing census. The committee, chaired by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, is tasked with submitting an interim report within three weeks.
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Key Objectives:
– National Development: The census is crucial for accurate planning and decision-making in key sectors such as healthcare, education, security, and economic planning.
– Technology-Driven Process: President Tinubu emphasized the need for a technology-driven census process, incorporating biometrics and digitalization to ensure credible and verifiable results.
– Funding Strategies: The committee will explore domestic and international funding options to support the census, collaborating with relevant agencies and stakeholders.
Committee Members:
– Minister of Budget and Economic Planning: Senator Atiku Bagudu (Chairman)
– Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy
– Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
– Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)
– National Population Commission (NPC) Chairman: Nasir Isa Kwarwu (Committee Secretary)
This initiative aims to provide accurate data for national planning and development, addressing the significant gap since the last census in 2006 .
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who chairs the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census, assured the president that the committee will deliver its report within the three-week deadline.
The minister recalled President Tinubu’s advice to ministers during their retreat in 2003, urging them to think creatively and work with the resources available, even under harsh economic conditions.
Bagudu noted that despite global economic challenges, Nigeria is making steady progress under President Tinubu’s leadership, citing improved foreign exchange stability and a positive growth trajectory.
He said the committee will recommend practical solutions, including strategies for mobilising domestic and international resources to fund the census.
The Minister of Information, Muhammed Idris, also a committee member, emphasised that accurate data is critical for planning across all sectors and that a credible census is the foundation for such data.
The National Population Commission (NPC) Chairman, Nasir Kwarra, who will also serve as the committee secretary, said the commission has already begun preparations for the national population and housing census in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other relevant stakeholders.
According to him, the focus has been on identifying key requirements and laying the groundwork necessary for the President to make an informed decision on the actual conduct of the census.
Kwarra assured Nigerians that the National Population Commission remains committed to ensuring a credible, technology-driven enumeration that will support effective national planning and development.
The eight-member committee also includes the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Principal Secretary to the President, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff).
