The upcoming national population and housing census, which is slated to take place from May 3 to May 5, will cost six dollars (N2,880) per head, according to the National Population Commission (NPC).
Newsmen gather that this is the case since the commission rejected arguments that the N869 billion budgeted for the exercise was excessive.
When compared to the budgets of other nations, the Federal Commissioner of the NPC in Enugu State, Ejike Eze, claimed that the amount was the lowest.
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He said “The USA spent between 12 dollars and 15 dollars (N5,760 – N7,200) to count a citizen, while Malawi spent nine dollars (N4,320) per citizen.
“In Nigeria, however, we are making a proposal to spend six dollars (N2,880) to count a citizen.”
Exe also rejected proposals for the census’s dates to be changed, arguing that the exercise is not comparable to an election where there are candidates, winners, and losers.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) won’t be a threat to the exercise since they understand its purpose, the Enugu NPC boss said when discussing issues that may potentially pose a threat to the exercise in the area.
He clarified that the separatist party is aware of the negative effects of forbidding locals from taking part in the census, therefore they won’t be of any use.
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Exe mentioned that the government’s participation in two local government areas in Enugu State, where the commission had previously encountered IPOB during the demarcation of the areas in preparation for the headcount, had rectified the problems.
However, because the group, in his opinion, is now a champion of the exercise, he was confident about the safety and involvement of state citizens.
Exe submitted that “IPOB has on its own embarked on advocacy to encourage people to participate in the census.
“We have been able to engage IPOB to convince it that its agitation requires information that the census would provide.’’
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