Adamawa Deputy Gov. Reiterates State’s Readiness For 2017 Population Census

By Tom Garba, Yola

The Adamawa state Deputy Governor, Engr. Martins Nasir Babale, has during a town hall meeting in Yola reiterated the state readiness on the preparations by the National Population Commission (NPC) to conduct the 2017 population census.

Babale stresses the importance of the meeting and assured that the state government was fully prepared to support the commission for the ongoing enumeration area demarcation exercise in Yola North local government area and the subsequent 2017 general census.

The town hall meeting was organized to enable the community participate and understand the importance of the general population and housing census come 2017.

“The process for providing the country accurate census figure is indeed very important for effective national planning.

“We in Adamawa are desirous of an accurate population figure to enable government in provision of democracy dividend among the people of the state.

” We cannot succeed in taking the state to the next level unless we are able to have accurate population data to work with.” Babale said.

Speaking earlier, Alhaji Ahmad Sajoh, state commissioner of information urged the citizens of the state to support the population and housing census exercise for the development of the state.

Sajoh categorically advised the people of the state to forget about the religion and tribal sentiment during the exercise saying “The National Population and Housing programme has nothing to do with people religion or tribe.

“ The exercise was purely designed for the effective developmental programme.” Sajo said.

He urged the people of the state to always report and registers any new birth and dead to enable government acquire accurate population data.

Also speaking at the meeting, Mr. Garvwa David, Adamawa Federal Commissioner of the commission said that the meeting was organized to cross fertilized ideas and to enable the community understand the importance of the exercise come 2017.

David said that already the second phase of the enumeration area demarcation has commenced a week ago and would be carried out in one local government area each in twenty nine states of the federation.

“ Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa is among the areas where this second phase exercise will be carried out.” David said

He emphasized over the importance of the exercise adding that it was beyond the conduct of the next general census but to provide the national frame for future censuses and surveys in the country

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During the meeting several participants advised government not to include religion or tribe in the forthcoming 2017 general census.