By Patrick Ugeh and Tobi Soniyi

In a statement bound to raise dust and certain to conflict with the constitution, the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Mr. Festus Odimegwu, has said any Nigerian who is not captured in the next demographic survey beginning next year will not be recognised as a citizen of Nigeria, after the 2016 national population census.

Section 30(1)(2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution provides that “the President may deprive a person, other than a person who is a citizen of Nigeria by birth or by registration, of his citizenship, if he is satisfied that such a person has, within a period of seven years after becoming naturalised, been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years.

“The President shall deprive a person, other than a person who is citizen of Nigeria by birth, of his citizenship, if he is satisfied from the records of proceedings of a court of law or other tribunal or after due inquiry in accordance with regulations made by him, that - (a) the person has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal towards the Federal Republic of Nigeria; or (b) the person has, during any war in which Nigeria was engaged, unlawfully traded with the enemy or been engaged in or associated with any business that was in the opinion of the president carried on in such a manner as to assist the enemy of Nigeria in that war, or unlawfully communicated with such enemy to the detriment of or with intent to cause damage to the interest of Nigeria.”

In addition, Odimegwu said two no-go areas in the last census – religion and ethnicity – would be included in the next one scheduled for 2016.

Odimegwu, who spoke at the second National Family Planning Conference in Abuja Wednesday, declared that the N600 billion needed to conduct the exercise, which would capture biometric data over five years, would be generated by the NPC from the sale of data to the private sector if the Federal Government cannot provide it.

“This is a commission (under his headship) where everything will work,” he said.

“You have to know religion and ethnic numbers for the country to work... We will raise money from the sale of data to the private sector to run the agency. The data base will help in national planning,” he added.

Noting that Nigeria’s population is an asset rather than a liability, as was being orchestrated at the second national family planning conference, Odimegwu said having an effective demographic system with biometric information would help in tackling the many problems of the country, including security, healthcare delivery, education and the economy.

Countering arguments that high population was an issue, Odimegwu said: “There is nothing in Nigeria that is better than our population... No great country is there without their population. That is why China, India and the United States are great.

“The issue is not the size of our population. The problem is the quality of people. If we take care of the quality of life, it will take care of the quantity. A PhD holder will have no need for 16 children.”

He said Nigeria could not develop if it continued planning as it does now, as it requires demographic data to plan properly.

For this reason, he said the NPC had set up a demographic data base structure, adding that they would produce reliable demographic data base that would cover 200,000 communities in the country.
“Anybody that is not covered in that census will not be part of Nigeria,” he said.

A five-year architecture for the purpose of gathering data had been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, he further disclosed.

Odimegwu described the current situation where different government agencies conducted exercises to obtain biometric data was needless, saying his organisation is planning to have all of them pooled and managed by NPC.

Stating that the commission was going to work as a private sector organisation, he said: “If government is not going to give us money, we will raise money; we will adopt the private sector attitude, not civil service one.

“The system we want to employ will be corruption-free. We won’t tolerate mediocrity because of federal character.”
He decried the practice of the commission which deploys its 36 commissioners to the states where they collect salaries without working for the Nigerian state, saying it was a form of corruption.

For this reason, he had to order them back to the headquarters where they are now working, he said.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said the issue of the quality and quantity of population was like that of the chicken and egg, since a large population without the means to cater for the people was a problem.

“When Eze has two children and his maiguard (security man) has 20, it is not good,” he said.

The theme of the five-day conference is Population and National Development aimed at improving access to family planning information and services in Nigeria.

Countering arguments that high population was an issue, Odimegwu said: “There is nothing in Nigeria that is better than our population... No great country is there without their population. That is why China, India and the United States are great.

“The issue is not the size of our population. The problem is the quality of people. If we take care of the quality of life, it will take care of the quantity. A PhD holder will have no need for 16 children.”

Noted

For this reason, he said the NPC had set
up a demographic data base structure,
adding that they would produce reliable
demographic data base that would cover
200,000 communities in the country.
“Anybody that is not covered in that
census will not be part of Nigeria,” he
said............................hope 200,000 isn't the limit,considering his arrogance in the latter statement

Ok

It is okay.

At least this comment has made me to know him and the position he occupies in Naija.

“The system we want to employ will be corruption-free. We won’t tolerate mediocrity because of federal character

Definitely waiting to  how that will be achieved.

The Federal character principle is already there to encourage population growth, whether genuine or false. I see another isolated move that may end up not addressing the goal of the cencus excercise.

Mbok, what does a citizen benefit from Nigeria

what data are they going to sell to raise revenue.

That means many people will reject been counted so that dey can lose 9ja what ever

o di egwu

Interesting! I will assume U.S. Citizenship.

See why it is not good to drink expired beer.

[size=22pt]as if there is any free gift with being a Nigerian[/size]

I will not register ok make dem go call police

Is he sure he will still be in office by that time ?

Clerverly: Mbok, what does a citizen benefit from Nigeria

Good question...

Ok, no wahala, we don here.

malele: That means many people will reject been counted so that dey can lose 9ja what ever

Abi o! This is a big opportunity to choose another country for yourself ... Just petition the UN, and they will ask you to choose which country you wan belong to? I no go do pass myself, make them just carry me go Ghana, I beg.

Fvck you. I've got Canadian citizenship

Minion: My King! What can you say about this?
Hades: This government lacks inspiration ooo!! Cant they threaten the people with something better? Like an increase in price of Garri or something
Minion: Dont mind them,My Lord! Na so me sef see am

... And they will be deported to where?

Foolish man, does he think Nigerians are afraid to lose dia citizenship status, some will choose to lose it than loosing oil jobs.

What happen to Nigerians abroad? Foolish thinking!!!

finally I will be deported to my country AMERICA lol

In addition, Odimegwu said two no-go areas in the last census – religion and ethnicity – would be included in the next one scheduled for 2016

I pray the implementation will be as transparent as we are told so we can for once rest this controvery that Nigeria has 60% muslims and only 40% Christians. It is making many tourists and international organizations to be afraid of Nigeria.

Eze having lesser children than his maiguard is more of a religious and cultural issue than it is of education.

Abeg oh,i am afraid to loose my citizenship of this great country oh!!! Seriously,when the registrattion starts,i will be the first to register.. I cant afford not to be a Nigerian...
There's just something special about being a Nigerian that i can't explain..
E no easy to carry Naija blood for vein...

My suggestion. Before the next census exercise, Population should be removed as one of the criteria for distributing Federation Account. This will guide against states unnecessarily inflating the number of people residence the such state.

Sagewood: By Patrick Ugeh and Tobi Soniyi

Odimegwu, who spoke at the second National Family Planning Conference in Abuja Wednesday, declared that the N600 billion[/b] needed to conduct the exercise, which would capture biometric data over five years, would be generated by the NPC from the [b]sale of data to the private sector if the Federal Government cannot provide it.


“Anybody that is not covered in that census will not be part of Nigeria,” he said.

N600b is a lot to be used to deliberately reduce population of certain classes of people (or certain part of Nigeria) by exclusion
Why don't they just adopt the Okar approach and excise part of the country or which Asari Dokubo say they want anyway
That is cheaper and faster. This convoluted approach is tedious!

Sagewood: By Patrick Ugeh and Tobi Soniyi

“The system we want to employ will be corruption-free. We won’t tolerate mediocrity because of federal character.”
He decried the practice of the commission which deploys its 36 commissioners to the states where they collect salaries without working for the Nigerian state, saying it was a form of corruption.

For this reason, he had to order them back to the headquarters where they are now working, he said.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said the issue of the quality and quantity of population was like that of the chicken and egg, since a large population without the means to cater for the people was a problem.

“When Eze has two children and his maiguard (security man) has 20, it is not good,” he said.

The theme of the five-day conference is Population and National Development aimed at improving access to family planning information and services in Nigeria.

So
1. Only the people that are efficient at yahoo that would do this job
2. The preconceived problem that requires an "urgent" Solution (I remember Hitler) is clear

I have always said that people who say GEJ is clueless don't understand him

Today, our unity is firm, and our purpose is strong. Our determination unshakable. Together, we will unite our nation and improve the living standards of all our peoples whether in the North or in the South; in the East or in the West. Our decade of development has begun. The march is on. The day of transformation begins today. We will not allow anyone exploit differences in creed or tongue, to set us one against another.

- President Jonathan, 29 May 2011
....From the records

Well I really want to loose my nigerian citizenship ooo I have been praying for this over a long time - hey ope !!!oo **singin and dancin azonto**