By Gom Mirian
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing census earlier scheduled for May 3 to May 7, 2023.
A successor administration is now expected to schedule a new date.
Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, announced the postponement on Saturday in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja.
Mr. Mohammed said the decision was made by the president after a meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council and the chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Isa-kwarra alongside his team at the presidential villa in Abuja on Friday.
According to the statement, “The meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a population and housing census, 17 years after the last census, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goal of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people
The president in the statement noted that with the completion of the enumeration area demarcation of the country, conduct of the first and second pre-tests, the recruitment and training of ad hoc workers, procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and ICT infrastructures, appreciable progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 population and housing census.
He also commended the methodology being put in place by the commission to conduct an accurate and reliable census, especially the massive deployment of technology that is capable of delivering world-class census and laying a sustainable basis for future censuses.
He further directed the commission to continue with preparations for the conduct of the 2023 population and housing census in order to sustain the gain already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements.
