Nsikak Akpan in UYO.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong has charged the National Population Commission (NPC) to apply equity, justice and fairness to the census process by counting the people of the State properly and playing the politics of census favourably.
Ini Ememobong who made this known while playing host to a delegation from the National Population Commission, stated that census is a game of numbers just as election is as it is seen in the ongoing 2023 elections, adding that nobody can talk about census without talking about figures.
He said Governor Udom Emmanuel who is from the data, banking and economics industry is particular about the census in the state.
The Information boss while commending the Federal Commissioner, NPC from Akwa Ibom State, Engr. Benedict Ukpong for doing a great job so far, described him as a committed patriot and admonished that the people of Akwa Ibom State should be counted favourably in the forthcoming census.
In his remarks, the Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission from Akwa Ibom State, Engr. Benedict Ukpong who expressed delight at the opportunity accorded him to meet with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong to discuss the way forward for the 2023 Population and Housing Census in the state, stated that the journey towards the conduct of the first ever Digital Census in Nigeria is indeed a long one.
According to him, it is a long one in the sense that Nigeria is the second African country who has made positive moves out of the analogue Census with the aid of Paper Assisted Personal Interviewer (PAPI) to the Digital and Green Census which is possible with the aid of computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)
Engr. Ukpong further explained that the first exercise carried out by the commission in preparation for the census was the enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) which he said is a process of dividing the entire land space of the country into smaller units called Enumeration Areas where the enumerators can conviniently cover and count people within the specified Census Reference Period.
“In line with the avowed decision to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging and participation in the forthcoming Census, the commission also launched the e-recruitment Portal where everyone had an opportunity to register and participate in the Census based on Merit and experience “. He added
He thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for his concern and support in the areas of accommodation and logistics throughout the preparatory activities for Census.
He seized the opportunity to request that the Governor should treat the actual Census as a project of esteemed priority as its results will add great value to the revenue allocation of the State as well as infrastructural development and planning.
High point of the event was the decoration of the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong as the Census Ambassador.
Also at the Courtesy visit was, State Director, NPC, Aks, Mr. Emmanuel Edem, Head of Cartography/Technical, Mrs. Mercy Darnley, Head of Census, NPC, Aks, Mr. Samuel Charlie, Head of Administration, Mr. Friday Expo, Head of ICT, Prince Isemin Isemin,Head of Finance, Miss, Caroline Ojesanmi, Information Officer, Comrade Uloh Williams and Management staff of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.
