PUNCH: The United States Government on Tuesday in Abuja ruled out any financial assistance for Nigeria to conduct its nationwide census whose preparation had been dogged by shortage of funds.

Although the population census had been shifted to 2017, feelers from the National Population Commission, indicated that it may not hold because President Muhammadu Buhari had yet to make a proclamation on it.

The American government specifically told Nigeria that it would not fund the exercise because “it is not somebody else’s census, it is your census.”

The Office Director, Health Population and Nutrition Office, United States Agency for International Development, Dr. Nancy Lowenthal, ruled out financial assistance in an interview with The PUNCH, during the opening ceremony of a training workshop for the members of staff of the NPC on the 2017 population and housing census organised by the United States Census Bureau with support from USAID.

She said, “It is important to stress that the United States government does not fund the census of another country. But what Nigerian government can do is to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census.

“It is very important for the Nigerian government at all levels to recognise what a census does. It is a demographic information about your country: how many men, how many women, and how many children are in Nigeria. There are also information about household income and other aspects of demography in a census. Without a credible census in every single community, you cannot have a data. This is fundamental to governing your country. It is, therefore, fundamental to government to find the resources to finance its census.

“It is important for any government to be able to fund its census because without it, you will not be able to do other components. It is not apportioning the Federal Government with funding, this is real planning; the commissioners should know the type of vaccine coverage and how many children are out there. It is not somebody else’s census but the census of the government of Nigeria as represented by Mr. President through the chairman of the NPC down thorough all the structures in the federal, states, local governments and rural levels and it is your census.”

The Chairman of the NPC, Chief Eze DuruIheoma (SAN), had last year, during a press briefing in commemoration of the 2015 World Population Day with the theme, “Vulnerable population in emergencies,” hinted that the population census earlier scheduled for this year would not take place due to poor budgetary allocation.

Although the exercise had, however, been scheduled for 2017, DuruIheoma,when asked about the actual date for the 2017 census said, “The President has not made any proclamation and, as such, nobody can tell the date and time for the census.”

Justifying the reasons why the 2016 census would not hold, the NPC chairman had told journalists that if, indeed, Nigerians wanted the 2016 national census, they must demand it just like they did during the recently concluded general election.

Although the exercise had, however, been scheduled for 2017, DuruIheoma,when asked about the actual date for the 2017 census said, “The President has not made any proclamation and, as such, nobody can tell the date and time for the census.”

Justifying the reasons why the 2016 census would not hold, the NPC chairman had told journalists that if, indeed, Nigerians wanted the 2016 national census, they must demand it just like they did during the recently concluded general election.

LadyExcellency:
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association has already told us that they have over 35 million herdsmen in Nigeria.

That's an incredible advantage. By estimation, one in every five Nigerians is a herdsmen roaming about inside the bush if we accept the guesstimation of 175 million as Nigeria's population in 2016

LadyExcellency:
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association has already told us that they have over 35 million herdsmen in Nigeria.

That's an incredible advantage. By estimation, one in every five Nigerians is a herdsmen roaming about inside the bush if we accept the guesstimation of 175 million as Nigeria's population in 2016

babadee1:


Lol. They must have included their cattle in the counting as well.

eleojo23:
Why would anybody want to fund our census when we will most likely come up with fabricated and incorrect data at the end?

arresa:





It's stupid, irresponsible and shortsighted not to seek free money or financial assistance to avoid digging into your own pocket for money.

Saving dollars here and there is to our own advantage.

On the other hand, the US is still going to spend and give us free money indirectly to fund the census like the article asserted by asking us to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census is still indirect funding and valuable world class technical support when it comes to modern census.


It's still a win win sintuation for us.


You people are too consumed with hate and zero love for your own country that all you see is doom, gloom and failure when in fact it's the opposite.

LadyExcellency:
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association has already told us that they have over 35 million herdsmen in Nigeria.

That's an incredible advantage. By estimation, one in every five Nigerians is a herdsmen roaming about inside the bush if we accept the guesstimation of 175 million as Nigeria's population in 2016

arresa:





It's stupid, irresponsible and shortsighted not to seek free money or financial assistance to avoid digging into your own pocket for money.

Saving dollars here and there is to our own advantage.

On the other hand, the US is still going to spend and give us free money indirectly to fund the census like the article asserted by asking us to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census is still indirect funding and valuable world class technical support when it comes to modern census.


It's still a win win sintuation for us.


You people are too consumed with hate and zero love for your own country that all you see is doom, gloom and failure when in fact it's the opposite.

BALLOSKI:
Good! We don't need it. There's something always tied to your financial assistance to countries like Nigeria.

blueto:

So it has now gotten to a stage were Nigerians will have to agitate for the govt to perform its constitutional duties by conducting a very delicate and indispensable census so as to enable them obtain vital data and have a clue on how they can judiciously implement their socio-economic policies to curtail the aggrandising rate of pauperism and other forms of unpalatable national status?

This govt is really lethargic and solipsistic in nature.

MrAdetunjiBayo:


Don't mind the ipod guy, we yoruba muslims must fight and defend buhari from all attacks from the ipods because buhari is greater than Awo.

BALLOSKI:
Good! We don't need it. There's something always tied to your financial assistance to countries like Nigeria.

youngeagle:
was Nigeria expecting help before they can carry out ordinary census?,how can we grow with this mentality,just imagine a grown up man with kids relaying on his neighbors to take care of his family,we should really throw away this mentality if we really wants to grow.

wowmenow:

Is only a cow that can compare awolowo to buhari.

arresa:

It's stupid, irresponsible and shortsighted not to seek free money or financial assistance to avoid digging into your own pocket for money.

Saving dollars here and there is to our own advantage.

On the other hand, the US is still going to spend and give us free money indirectly to fund the census like the article asserted by asking us to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census is still indirect funding and valuable world class technical support when it comes to modern census.

It's still a win win sintuation for us.

You people are too consumed with hate and zero love for your own country that all you see is doom, gloom and failure when in fact it's the opposite.

arresa:





It's stupid, irresponsible and shortsighted not to seek free money or financial assistance to avoid digging into your own pocket for money.

Saving dollars here and there is to our own advantage.

On the other hand, the US is still going to spend and give us free money indirectly to fund the census like the article asserted by asking us to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census is still indirect funding and valuable world class technical support when it comes to modern census.


It's still a win win sintuation for us.


You people are too consumed with hate and zero love for your own country that all you see is doom, gloom and failure when in fact it's the opposite.