From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
National Population Commission, Kogi State Office on Monday, joined its coteporaries nationwide to organise a two day workshop to finalized list of participory localities in the state for the Population HeadCount across the state.
In an opening address by the Chairman, National Population Commission, Nigeria, Hon Nasir Isa Kwarra which was delivered by Federal NPC Commissioner in-charge of Kogi, Professor Jimoh Isah during the workshop, enumerated names of Localities that were taking into consideration to include; the right spellings, Appendage of Centroid Coordinators of locality area, Locality type such as Tertiary, Secondary, Primary and subprimary. Also locality Clarification comprising of A six strata of Urban/Rural Spectrum of locality will be appended according to a ‘Fact Analysis’ done by the Cartography Department.
The National Chairman also disclosed that the Compendium of locality which will be presented to President Buhari before Census, is intended to be approved by the consensus of stakeholders as the Gazetteer of place Names for the country.
“With the huge resources that the country has expended on EAD, we are happy that the National Population Commission has acquired a lot of data sets that will be useful for National development
“I therefore implore all participants at this workshop, especially participants from sister agencies to work with us to achieve an excellent result which we shall be proud of at the end of the programme.
Kwarra pleaded.
Professor Jimoh Isah had commended Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state for given an assurance to sustain the prevailing lives and property in the state during the precensus, census and postcensus periods.
“The essence of the workshop is to update our census documents towards achieving the desired success and credible headcount that will be globally acceptable” Jimoh Isah explained.
In his remarks, the Kogi State Director of NPC, Ojo Abiodun praised the federal government for its Proactive measures to ensure that the census becomes a huge success.
He charged participants to make judicious use of the workshop to make necessary corrections that might arise in their Localities.
In their goodwill messages, the representatives of various local governments Chairmen, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Orientation Agency and Kogi Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs pledges their support for the success of population census in Nigeria as the exercise is key to both state and national development.
Critical Stakeholders that participated for the workshop include; local governments Chairmen, officials of NPC, traditional rulers and top federal and state governments agencies.