By Hassan Ibrahim
The National Population Commission (NPC) has taken its nationwide census sensitization drive to the Zazzau Emirate, engaging traditional rulers, council leaders, and community stakeholders ahead of the forthcoming Population and Housing Census and the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (ECRVS) exercise.
The NPC delegation, led by Kaduna State Commissioner, Hajiya Sa’adatu Garba Dogon Bauchi, visited the Emir of Zazzau, His Highness Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli CFR, at his palace in Zaria on Friday. The session also had in attendance members of the Emirate Council and 31 District Heads from across the emirate.
Hajiya Sa’adatu explained that the visit was part of ongoing efforts to educate and mobilize stakeholders for the success of the census and ECRVS. She stressed the vital role of community leaders in enlightening citizens on the benefits of accurate population data, birth and death registration, and digital record-keeping.
The Commissioner said the census will be conducted this year in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive and the inauguration of a special national committee to ensure smooth execution.
“Without census, no nation can progress. Twenty years ago, government wanted to assist its citizens, but lack of accurate population figures posed a huge challenge,” she noted, emphasizing that accurate data is the foundation of national development.
She revealed that Kaduna State has so far covered 20 local government areas in its awareness campaign — a milestone never achieved since the commission’s establishment. She also announced that the upcoming census will be fully digital, relying on electronic devices to eliminate irregularities associated with past exercises.
“We shall conduct the census with transparency and integrity. Nigeria will be the first country in Africa to adopt this technology for census purposes, which will guarantee accuracy and credibility of the data,” she assured.
Hajiya Sa’adatu further disclosed that the NPC has rolled out initiatives such as the issuance of valid birth certificates — long overdue in northern Nigeria — and death certificates to track mortality rates and enable timely health interventions, including immunization campaigns.
In his remarks, the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness displayed by the NPC team after a two-hour briefing and interactive session.
“It was a very good meeting. We had an excellent session with series of questions, and now we have clarity as to what they plan to do. We are very satisfied with the arrangements made so far,” the Emir said.
He noted that areas previously plagued by insecurity, such as Giwa Local Government, have now been cleared, making them safe for census activities. He also urged NPC to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure Nigerians abroad — including students, workers, and those in foreign prisons — are counted, alongside citizens in local correctional facilities.
The Emir praised the planned use of electronic devices, calling it a “remarkable innovation” that will enhance accuracy and transparency. He recalled Kaduna’s earlier success with electronic voting technology and encouraged NPC to maximize the digital census approach.
“We are very happy that electronic devices will be used to get accurate data of our people. All 31 district heads of the emirate, except a few who are abroad, were present today, and we are all satisfied with the explanation given by the Commissioner and her team,” he added.
The Emir also requested that NPC technical directors return to Zaria, in collaboration with the local government, to further sensitize the general public.
Similarly, the Chairman of Zaria Local Government, Engineer Jamil Ahmad Muhammad, represented by his deputy, Malam Abdullahi Abba, pledged the council’s full support for the exercise. He assured that the council will provide all necessary resources to ensure the success of the census and improve the welfare of residents.
0 Comments