Cross River inaugurates publicity, security committee on 2023 census

Cross River’s Governor, Ben Ayade inaugurated a publicity and security-cum-logistics committee for the 2023 census in Calabar on Tuesday.

The national census is billed to hold from May 3 to May 7.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Eric Anderson, represented the governor at the inauguration.

It has the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the National Orientation Agency, market traders associations, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), security agencies and road transport workers union as members.

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The Commissioner said the 2023 census would go beyond headcount to identifying and counting other things.

Data collected would help government to establish areas needing attention in terms of infrastructure expansion, he added.

In his remarks, retired Navy Capt. Charles Ogwa, Federal Commissioner for Cross River at the National Population Commission, said current data were mere estimates and did not give a clear picture of Nigeria’s population.

“We have been drawing our budgets on estimates; this is not right; that is why the government is saying let us know how many we are.

“We cannot do this job effectively without awareness, security and logistics; that is why this committee is important.

“The census will be technology-based and can hardly be faulted,’’ Ogwa said, assuring the people of Cross River that everyone would be counted including the homeless, migrants, mentally unstable and even displaced persons.

Also addressing the inauguration, Rev. Takis Caiphas, CAN Chairman, in Cross River assured that the association would ensure that messages about the census got to all Churches.

Mrs Patricia Ephraim, leader of market women also assured that information about the census would get to her members and to families around the state.

The last time Nigeria held a headcount was in 2006 though it was supposed to hold every 10 years. (NAN)