The Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC) Nasir Isa Kwarra on Thursday, assured that the equipment procured for the postponed 2023 national census is still intact and fully secured.
He gave the assurance at the flag-off of the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) training in Nasarawa State.
According to him, the money so far expended on the exercise has been used judiciously for the procurement of equipment for the census, hence there would be no need for the procurement of new ones.
“I have had the course to make comments on this in the past and I can assure you that the money was judiciously utilized and the preparatory processes in terms of procurement are enduring ones, the items we procured are durable they will be used for the next census, we don’t have to procure these items again.
“Most things are in place right from the PDAs that have been procured fully secured in our various CBN offices, manuals for the training, the ICT equipment and our data centres are being continually developed and we use cloud storage, so all these facilities are there and available for screening and I believe that we are on course,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kwarra noted that Nigeria must conduct the census to plan for the development of the country and address the challenges of insecurity bedeviling the country.
Kwarra further explained that the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey training is very important hence a healthy population will make a healthy economy for her citizens and will contribute to the economic growth of the country.
He added that the NDHS has stood as a beacon of reliable, comprehensive and actionable data, providing policymakers, researchers and stakeholders with the insights necessary to make informed decisions.
To this end, he urged trainees to pay attention to details, be inquisitive about the processes and aim to be active participants in discussions exercises and feedback sessions.
“Every household you visit, every individual you speak to will be entrusting you with their data and it should be your solemn duty to ensure that this data relates with the utmost integrity and clarity.
“Your role as interviewers is pivotal and I also have every confidence that you will uphold the values and standards of the NDHS that the NDHS is known for,” he added.
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