Commission may not conduct census in hard-to-reach areas in Borno-NPC
By Njadvara MUSA
The National Population Commission (NPC) Federal Commissioner, Isa Buratai has said that the 2023 population and housing census may not be conducted in hard-to-reach areas in Borno state.
The insurgency-affected areas included Abadam Local Government Area (LGA) and the Mandara Hills in Gwoza local council bordering Cameroon.
Buratai raised that alarm on Thursday in Maiduguri, while briefing journalists on the preparedness of the Commission to conduct April 2023 head and buildings count in the State.
According to him, the media is critical to conduct a ‘credible and accepted’ population and housing census.
Read Also: Centre Retrieves 12, 400 Small Arms, And Weapons From Theatres Of Operations
He said that this is despite the challenges of insecurity to complete the Enumeration Areas Demarcation (EAD exercise).
Unveiling the preparedness of the Commission, he said: “We’re engaging journalists for an effective and efficient reporting of the forthcoming head count exercise for a reliable and internationally accepted Census.”
Besides, he added that the media could partner with the Commission to identify and overcome the challenges for a reliable and accepted head count.
The NPC Head of Department (Technical), Haruna Ibrahim, stated that; “About 44, 000 satellite image maps including fairly drawn ones with enumeration boundary description were completed for the population and housing census.
He noted that the Commission’s mandate cannot be realised without a comprehensive, reliable and sustainable geographic framework.
His words: “The Commission will regularly update the existing National Geographic Frame (NGF),” noting that this could meet our internal needs, as well as the various geospatial communities in the 26 LGAs.
Explained that the use of geospatial data in Census mapping has upgraded Census maps from the instruments of the area of assignment location to roles cutting at stages of Census and Surveys.
According to him, the national digital map for the country comprises enumerating, supervisory, locality and local council maps.
On the tools of enumeration, he said: “About 50% of the hybrid system is the Census Pad that handles the Geo-spatial component of the system.”
He said that the hybrid system is used for buildings’ numbering and household listing in Borno state.
NPC’s State Director, Alhaji Kachalla Yerima, reiterated that Abadam LGA and the Mandara Hills are the challenges facing enumerators for the national headcount.
He attributed the inaccessibility of the 1, 775 trained supervisors to insecurity and other challenges of the Commission.
