NPC PRESENTS COMPENDIUM OF LOCALITIES TO EBONYI STAKEHOLDERS

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

As part of efforts to ensure active citizens’ involvement in the conduct of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census, the National Population Commission (NPC) has presented the final list of localities to stakeholders in Ebonyi State.

The Federal Commissioner in charge of the State, Chief Darlington Okereke, had at the event in Abakaliki explained that the release of the list was to enable the stakeholders to validate the document for national development.

Identified as Compendium of Localities, the document, according to the Federal Commissioner, was a compilation of localities created during the Enumeration Area Demarcation, showing their coverage and location on digitized interactive maps.

He noted that after their validation by the stakeholders, the localities would be compiled into a National Compendium with certain parameters before being presented to President Muhammadu Buhari for final approval.

The State Director, National Population Commission, Mrs Julian Mmanyike, described the Compendium as an indispensable tool required in analysis of population dynamics at the grassroots.

She observed that the proposed 2023 National Census would be coming 17 years after the last one and urged the people of Ebonyi State to take their destiny in their hands by getting deeply involved in the process.

The stakeholders, including Chief Joe Nwaonumara, said the deployment of technology in the conduct of the National Population and Housing Census would eliminate manipulation of data and make the outcome of the process acceptable by all Nigerians.

Highpoints of the event were the digital display of locality maps for the state, presentation of soft copies of the Compendium to the representatives of Local Government Chairmen and the decoration of NPC Census Ambassadors with 2023 Census emblem.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU