Mixed reactions have continued to trail the planned population census by the federal government of Nigeria.
Underscoring the relevance of population census for planning and other developmental purposes, stakeholders have listed some conditions for the outcome of the exercise to be credible and acceptable to the citizens.
Their anxiety is hinged on the frightening dimension the insecurity in the country has assumed.
More worrisome, according to them is the alleged lack of political will to end the insecurity that has paralyzed almost the whole country by the government.
Nigeria is scheduled to hold a national census for the first time in 16 years between March and April 2023, following the approval of the National Council of State. The Council gave the approval on Thursday at a meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari and attended by former Heads of State – Abdusalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, and Yakubu Gowon. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, as well as some state governors, were also present.
But a former military governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Umar, has however advised the Federal Government to suspend the planned national population census. In a statement on Saturday in Kaduna, he asked the government to rather focus its attention on tackling the security challenges in the country. Describing the planned population census by the government as shocking, saying President Muhammadu Buhari should concentrate on finding a lasting solution to the disturbing activities of bandits, terrorists, and other criminals disturbing the peace of the country. “Nigeria is facing existential challenges epitomised by insecurity and a collapsing economy; embarking on a census would amount to a misadventure and waste of scarce resources,” Umar warned. “The decision of the FGN to have sought and gotten the approval of the National Council of State to conduct a national census in April 2023 must have come as a great shock to most well-meaning Nigerians.” The former military governor added, “A country that is facing existential challenges such as unprecedented level of insecurity, the collapsing economy, cannot have as one of its priorities the conduct of a national census. “We, therefore, urge the Buhari administration to suspend what will amount to misadventure and waste of scarce national resources. This administration should focus all its attention on securing the nation and conducting the 2023 elections. A national census at this point is certainly not a priority assuming that its conduct is possible.” Friday Ameh, Lagos based energy analyst sees the planned census as having either a 'political undertone or self serving' as according to him, 'I cannot imagine a government that is being faced with economic and security issues would contemplate organizing cost intensive project like pupulation census.'
Another stakeholder says the planned exercise is,
"diversionary as the retired general does not need anybody to tell him the emomity of issues at hand, not to talk of adding another serious and contentious as census to it. "
"A government that has almost abandoned governance for politics now is talking of conducting an election,... For who and for what?", queries another stakeholder.