http://t.guardian.ng/news/senate-tells-buhari-to-conduct-census-in-2018/

A National census is usually a program carried out every ten years to validate and update statistics for mostly development plans.

Recently the Nigerian Senate asked the President of the Federal Republic to initiate Plans for the kickoff of a census. While this is a commendable act, my humble self feels it is a step backwards, not backwards as in a census shouldn't be conducted, but backwards in they sense that it will be a repetition of something that was done ten years ago, without anything learnt and any meaningful objective achieved.

Here are my points.

1. Voters card, National I.d card, BVN.
In an age and time like this ,it is unfortunate that it will take months to digitally capture and process biometrics of citizens of a country as sophiscated as Nigeria. Is it that the database is insufficient to store such information, or the software involved is incapable of processing data as voluminous as that.
Whatever is the case ,we have a long way to go in Digital statistics management and a census without Digital involment is a waste of time.

2. Digital acessability of population statistics.
Only few states have portals which data concerning statistics can be accessed for correlation and validation, since population is dynamic , a census will only give a limited information but without states having their own statistics bureau, we will never know if the results of the Census are malicious in Nature.

3. Physical Accessibility and Timing.
Is the exercise going to be a curfew induced exercise, knowing the Nigerian terrain and its loopholes, coupled with probability of volatility in certain regions, how do they intend achieving an 80% credible result.

4.Sincerity.
With the timing of the census being close to the 2019 elections, a lot of people might opt not to participate, as they might feel their data will be manipulated for the upcoming elections.
Also certain stakeholders might feel inclined to control and manipulate such data as they feel it might divert more funds to their constituencies.

5. Security.
This is not just about security of the personnel involved, but also the security of the information involved, what are the counter balance measures put in place for safe guarding of everyone and everything involved in this project from cradle to grave.

I am of the opinion that Nigeria as a country needs to aggressively pursue the actualization of the National. I.D card scheme, for every citizen of the country.

Also the Regulation of Births and death needs to be seriously enforced making it a crime for any guardian not to register their wards under 18 years and enforcing registration of infants at all Birth delivery centers.
In addition certificate of deaths and police reports must be obtained before every burial.

Population in a developing country is dynamic as it tends to always tilt towards states with more manufacturing and industrial regions which on its own is dynamic, provision for this during planning has to be made.

The government should also consider passing a bill making it illegal for anybody to rent or lease an apartment without due registration and documentation on a secure database, this will help to determine the flow of population and help in determining where needs what more.

The government should look towards training and employing more software engineers to achieve this program.
Finally it is also our Duty as citizens to support the Government in this exercise , if they want to go ahead with it, as it will be beneficial to everyone if properly organised.

A leaf can be copied from the New Zealand government census plans of 2018
http://m.stats.govt.nz/Census/2018-census
Long live the Federal Republic or Nigeria.

Ok

You still wan do census in this recession? Una neva suffer enough.

they go count cattle n goats for borno later come tell us say na 3million people dey dia

Young03:
they go count cattle n goats for borno later come tell us say na 3million people dey dia

Those people are dubious, they need it for federal allocation.

Seun Lalasticlala Mynd44 pavore9.
Help take this to the promised land , one Oga at the top might seeit

Hungerbad , Modath , Tonyebarcanista , Dropshot , sarrki , fedorahat , jusmudi , naptu2 , ibnsultan , samuelanyanwu , beebeeoh , keneking ,
And many other intelligent minds, let's leave politics for once and discuss governance.

herbie27:
Those people are dubious, they need it for federal allocation.

that's what they did in kano state during 2006 census


counting cows n cattle's, and it favoured them during federal allocation

herbie27:
Those people are dubious, they need it for federal allocation.

That's why we have to call out the government to suspended the census and think towards total implementation of National I.D card for now

UrennaNkoli:
You still wan do census in this recession? Una neva suffer enough.

Young03:



that's what they did in kano state during 2016 census


counting cows n cattle's, and it favoured them during federal allocation

Census in this country is all political not that they want to use the database to improve the standard of living of the people...It didn't start today, they just want to perfect the act of the census crisis of 1962-1963.

Young03:



that's what they did in kano state during 2016 census


counting cows n cattle's, and it favoured them during federal allocation

Bros pls was there any census in kano 2016

Let them gather data through other means. Strengthen birth registration process, and state Bureaus of statistics and collect the data they need from there. We can't afford to waste money on a census that would probably be used to further sectional and ethnic interests.

Nigeria is too analog for this process

Young03:



that's what they did in kano state during 2006 census


counting cows n cattle's, and it favoured them during federal allocation

theSpark:
Let them gather data through other means. Strengthen birth registration process, and state Bureaus of statistics and collect the data they need from there. We can't afford to waste money on a census that would probably be used to further sectional and ethnic interests.

You wan cut some people surebet

Young03:
they go count cattle n goats for borno later come tell us say na 3million people dey dia

fedorahat:
Nigeria is too analog for this process

There is room for improvement.
Moreover its better a gradual and continuous process, than a once in a ten year project.

Proudlyngwa:


There is room for improvement.
Moreover its better a gradual and continuous process, than a once in a ten year project.

.bros leave story, Nigeria is finished

Nigeria's problem is insincerity. We are good at doing census with everyone having their own ulterior motive. Every region, tribe and group want to give themselves political advantage using population. We saw the sham of 2006 where Lagos was allocated a meagre 9m population while the state government WITHOUT any census conducted allocated a whopping 15m figure as the "true strength" of Lagos people.

The situation is the same. Honestly, we are all guilty.

TonyeBarcanista:
Nigeria's problem is insincerity. We are good at doing census with everyone having their own ulterior motive. Every region, tribe and group want to give themselves political advantage using population. We saw the sham of 2006 where Lagos was allocated a meagre 9m population while the state government WITHOUT any census conducted allocated a whopping 15m figure as the "true strength" of Lagos people.

The situation is the same. Honestly, we are all guilty.

Bros forget story, that census is mock exam for 2019 election.

TonyeBarcanista:
Nigeria's problem is insincerity. We are good at doing census with everyone having their own ulterior motive. Every region, tribe and group want to give themselves political advantage using population. We saw the sham of 2006 where Lagos was allocated a meagre 9m population while the state government WITHOUT any census conducted allocated a whopping 15m figure as the "true strength" of Lagos people.

The situation is the same. Honestly, we are all guilty.

The problem, I feel is everything is politicised from the top.
Though in this regard I am asking for suspension of the census until we get certain things in place, if not it will be a white elephant project.
Let the federal govt focus on the actualization of every citizens National I.d card and biometric registration into a database,
They did it with BVN, they can do it with national I.D card.

Knowing the number of citizens and residents you are supposed to cater for is quite important if you're to plan adequately. But a census is the worst approach we can employ in this country.

We all know of our penchant to always tweak the results of any national exercise such as elections and census to favor whoever or whatever is in power.

Rather, how about a mandatory biometric registration by all humans resident in Nigeria, both citizens and foreigners.

Each person should go to the local government where he lives and register. The registration should capture the ten finger prints, eyes and voice recognition as well as passport photos ofcourse.

Citizens who have proved with documents that they are actually citizens will be give a social security number which they will use for everything they need to do. From hospital registration to opening a bank account and so on.

I know for a fact that there are Cameroonians with no biological ties to Nigeria who carry the Nigerian green passport. How about that?

ElsonMorali:
Knowing the number of citizens and residents you are supposed to cater for is quite important if you're to plan adequately. But a census is the worst approach we can employ in this country.

We all know of our penchant to always tweak the results of any national exercise such as elections and census to favor whoever or whatever is in power.

Rather, how about a mandatory biometric registration by all humans resident in Nigeria, both citizens and foreigners.

Each person should go to the local government where he lives and register. The registration should capture the ten finger prints, eyes and voice recognition as well as passport photos ofcourse.

Citizens who have proved with documents that they are actually citizens will be give a social security number which they will use for everything they need to do. From hospital registration to opening a bank account and so on.

I know for a fact that there are Cameroonians with no biological ties to Nigeria who carry the Nigerian green passport. How about that?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/need-n222bn-conduct-2018-census-says-npc/

This is why am calling for a suspension of the census.

Proudlyngwa:


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/need-n222bn-conduct-2018-census-says-npc/

This is why am calling for a suspension of the census.

I'm with you on this.

My broda, census is smtin every country need 2 do weda recession period or no recession. Let me go in biblical way. Even king David did census. D importants of census can never b emphasize, I ll agree wit u dt it ll take cost, bt wit d help of census 1 can b able 2 plan well 4 her citizens, insecurity is 1 of d problem u raised, I ll agree wit u bt does it min dt as a nation, u ll nt b able 2 hv d total number of population? U brot d idea of National i.d bt ll it b done 4 free? moni ll also b involved, bt d only difference is dt while national i.d ll b restricted 2 certain age, census has no age limit. D only problem I ll point out is dt of muslim wu ll nt allow u to knw d number of children or wives Dey hv dereby giving a false result.
Without census Hw ll u b able 2 knw d death rate or birth rate??
Many pipo ll suggest birth register, bt Hw many pipo ll give birth in hospital.
Even church register could hv been beta, bt Hw many churches do hv dia baptismal register? To me, a country can nt be planned without census

Jusmudi:
My broda, census is smtin every country need 2 do weda recession period or no recession. Let me go in biblical way. Even king David did census. D importants of census can never b emphasize, I ll agree wit u dt it ll take cost, bt wit d help of census 1 can b able 2 plan well 4 her citizens, insecurity is 1 of d problem u raised, I ll agree wit u bt does it min dt as a nation, u ll nt b able 2 hv d total number of population? U brot d idea of National i.d bt ll it b done 4 free? moni ll also b involved, bt d only difference is dt while national i.d ll b restricted 2 certain age, census has no age limit. D only problem I ll point out is dt of muslim wu ll nt allow u to knw d number of children or wives Dey hv dereby giving a false result.
Without census Hw ll u b able 2 knw d death rate or birth rate??
Many pipo ll suggest birth register, bt Hw many pipo ll give birth in hospital.
Even church register could hv been beta, bt Hw many churches do hv dia baptismal register? To me, a country can nt be planned without census

I never said a census is not okay.
I said for now it is unnecessary.
Let's put in more effort in actualisation of national I.D card for every citizen and standardization of registrar of birth and death certificates.
Then when we do the census we know we have a checkpoint to reference the statistics gotten from the census against.
Moreover the challenges against a Census right now will overwhelm it.

Nigeria is not prepared for such way now