DEPUTY SPEAKER CHARGES NPC TO CONDUCT CREDIBLE CENSUS FOR PROPER ECONOMIC PLANNING 18-03-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has charged the newly inaugurated commissioners, Board of the National Population Commission, NPC, to ensure that the next census will give the actual statistics of Nigeria’s population.
Mr. Kalu gave the charge in Abuja, at the inauguration dinner of the federal commissioner representing Abia State at the NPC Board, Chief Emmanuel Trump Eke
The Deputy Speaker said accurate nation’s population figure was essential to economic planning and the spread of infrastructure across the country.
Mr. Kalu said that it was not right to continue to hazard a guess about the country’s population each time the issue arises, stressing that it was time the narrative is changed for good.
“The charge to you people as commissioners, to be honest, we don’t know our number in Nigeria. We cannot keep claiming we are the giant of Africa when we don’t have an accurate statistics of our actual number as a nation. It’s embarrassing. Each time they ask you of your population, you said about…When are we going to drop this”
Mr. Kalu pointed out that the root of any economic planning is knowing the number and knowing the demography, to guide project allocation.
The Deputy Speaker also commended President Bola Tinubu for running an all-inclusive government, appointing the Igbo in coveted positions of authority despite receiving poor number of votes from the region in the last presidential election.
He expressed gratitude to the Igbo for not participating in the recent protest against the present administration over economic hardship.
The Deputy Speaker who stated that the hardship was not principally created by the Tinubu’s government revealed that the administration is finding lasting solutions to the problems.
Mr Kalu stressed the need for South East to support President Tinubu’s administration to encourage the President to assent to the South East Development Commission bill sponsored by him for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the region, adding that the President and his team are intentional about giving the South East a sense of belonging.