The Federal Government has announced the inclusion of religion and ethnicity in the 2018 census data as against the conduct of the 2006 housing and population census.

The government also announced the release of over N775m for the conduct of Enumeration Area Demarcation exercise throughout the country in preparation for next year’s national population census.

Our correspondent reports that the EAD involves the process of deploying high calibre technology to divide the country into small units that could be easily covered by a team of enumerators.

The EAD exercise, slated for between February 20 and March 10 2017, also constitutes the foundation on which the entire census architecture would stand.

The chairman of the National Population Commission, Chief Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), spoke at a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

He said, “Now, on the question of some of the things missing in the last census; well, we are making a commitment about improving on what might have happened in the past. Some of these things are there. We intend to improve on them.

“I am not saying that anything went terribly bad in the past because I wasn’t even here. So, I don’t know what happened. But we want to make sure that whatever product we produce after this census would be accepted by the majority of Nigerians and that should be the test.

 “Those things that ought to be there, something like religion, ethnicity and others; I know there is something controversial about them. Now, we want to engage Nigerians on some of those things. We want to let Nigerians to give us feedback on what they want or what they think because we don’t claim to know it all here.

 “And that is why we have never been tired of telling you what we are doing. We tell you all that so that you can criticise us and make input. If you think any particular step we are taking is wrong, tell us. It is our duty to accept corrections.

 “So, the assurance I give you is that most of those things you complained about will not be left out in the census we are contemplating.”

He recalled that the NPC had previously demarcated 37 Local Government Areas in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT under the previous EAD.



http://punchng.com/fg-include-religion-ethnicity-2018-census/

Long overdue

Good it would interesting to know.

Blue3k:
Good it would interesting to know.

That's true

It will settle a lot of internal wrangling among Nigerians

Okay

Fraternity for make sense too

The results are gonna be so interesting. This will end so many debates. Can't wait.

littlewonders:
Fraternity for make sense too

I am sure this will help groups that have a huge diaspora population within Nigeria to get a bird's eye view of their numbers. Even though a correct/honest census is unlikely in Nigeria.

Particularly of interest are those who crave for an additional state for the South East. They will use the ethnic figures of Igbos in different parts of Nigeria to drive home their demand for one or more states in the SE as opposed to land mass.

Not important.

Festus Odimegwu was sacked because of this, this new guy should be careful, I prefer state of origin than ethnicity and religion. Since state of origin is constitutional in nigeria it should be captured on the census and Federal allocation should be based on it

basilo102:
Festus Odimegwu was sacked because of this, this new guy should be careful, I prefer state of origin than ethnicity and religion. Since state of origin is constitutional in nigeria it should be captured on the census and Federal allocation should be based on it

Whats the big issue it's just information.

Including religion and ethnicity in the count that ordinarily should be there, is a very dangerous idea in the reality of today's Nigerian context. It would would most certainly lead to the gross falsification of numbers to the disadvantage of minority groups

RedRubberDucky:
no. there needs to be protest against and repealed. The country is already divided by religion and tribe .
this is a reckless abandon on the part of the FG .

don't they know better with Christians in the north going through Trials because of they exercise their right to freedom of religion

kropotkin2:
Including religion and ethnicity in the count that ordinarily should be there, is a very dangerous idea in the reality of today's Nigerian context. It would would most certainly lead to the gross falsification of numbers to the disadvantage of minority groups

Is the information going to drive people wild? Anyway is your issue the fact you don't trust the compentacy of NBS to conduct the census correctly. The last issue with Christians is what seems to be bigger root issue.

Nigeria doesn't maintain rule of law or equal protection under law. If they strengthened protections to the citezens people would be uneasy over benign information.

Fact that we don't have an ID system that keeps adaquate track of population is probably because nobody actually want real numbers. There's nothing stopping any state from doing so. The federal government failing to do so for what ever reason.

Blue3k:




Is the information going to drive people wild

Nigeria doesn't maintain rule of law or equal protection under law. If they strengthened protections to the citezens people would be uneasy over benign information.

,and that is why it should not be done

Is this necessary



There is already religious and tribal war on ground and now the FG want to pour more fuel on the war

the north will always frustrate any thought of a credible census with their backward mentality.

greatgod2012:
Is this necessary



There is already religious and tribal war on ground and now the FG want to pour more fuel on the war

It will go a long way by setting the record straight

Even though I know this is a good decision, and is the right decision, the government better not implement it.

Questions about religion and ethnicity have always been very explosive in the Nigerian setup. Especially when it comes to the sharing of the non-existent national cake.

We should not bother. France does not bother with racial classifications in its own census too.

This is a welcome development that will settle a lot of questions. Hopefully they won't politicize and bungle this one as well with fabricated/cooked-up figures in the end.

I back Buhari here.
Nigerians will be surprised the number of atheists and African Traditional Religions members Nigeria has.

Uncalled for......

2el:
Uncalled for......

Please let's learn from you

Shouldn't we be doing away with religion and ethnicity in this country? These people need to asking different kind of questions such as, place of birth and place of abode.

Ethnicity and religion have been the bane of our problem

What the heck is Census if som1 can manufacture numbers and dish it out to the populace
Just to have an advantage.

I say, instead of investing billions of Naira on CENSUS

LET'S use that money to provide a DIGITAL ID CARD for every CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY.

it will solve
INSECURITY

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATIONS

AGE CHEAT

AND AUTOMATICALLY ASCERTAIN OUR TRUE POPULATION.

But they won't, cause Qauta system has been there means of survival

That is why you won't get your NIMC CARD cos they won't let it

.

O ye wailers and zombies come forth.

Irrelivant

sarrki:



That's true

It will settle a lot of internal wrangling among Nigerians

It won't settle anything...

A group wants to leave the country, Even census of Sperm counts amongst the various tribes in the country wouldn't stop their ideology....

BTW, the census will be filled with irregularities, the North may have 120 million people, while the whole South will share the remaining 60 million