Census News Update 20th December 2023

In a surprising turn of events, the Senate Committee on Appropriations has revealed that the budget proposal for the National Population Commission (NPC) lacks provisions for the scheduled 2024 population and housing census. Senator Abdul Ningi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Population Commission, disclosed this during the presentation of a report on the NPC 2024 budget to the collating Committee on Tuesday.

Ningi expressed concern about the potential loss of over N200 billion already spent by the National Population Commission if funds for the census are not included in the budget. He emphasized the significance of proper funding, stating, “If we don’t get the money, the nation will lose, the people will lose, the money spent on the preparation for the census will go down the drain and it is a humongous amount of money, over N200 billion already spent that is my take.”

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Assuring swift action, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, pledged to explore avenues to secure funds for the 2024 population census. He highlighted the importance of the NPC providing detailed documentation on their budgetary requirements, emphasizing the need for transparency in the process.

The NPC is expected to appear before the committee on Wednesday to present comprehensive documentation outlining the financial needs for the upcoming census. The census, scheduled for the first quarter of the next year, is crucial for accurate demographic data collection and informed policymaking.