Ex-ANAN President tasks incoming govt. on population census

By Ige Adekunle

A former President of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Dr Samuel Nzekwe, has advised the incoming government to expedite action on the conduct of population census in order to boost the country’s economic growth.

Nzekwe gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ota, Ogun.

NAN reports that the former ANAN president spoke against the backdrop of the indefinite postponement of the National Population and Housing Census by the Federal Government.

The federal government, while announcing the postponement had said that the new date for the exercise, earlier scheduled for May 3 to May 7, would be determined by the incoming administration.

Nzekwe stressed the need for a population census that would assist the country in engaging in proper planning for the citizens.

“We need a database that will give us a clear picture of how people are moving out of the country and coming in so as to engage in proper planning for the people,” he said.

The former ANAN president said that the population census conducted in 2006 was long overdue for review, stressing that a new exercise had become necessary to give the real picture and the total population of the country.

“There is the need for the incoming administration to ensure that the population census is conducted, as this will help in formulating policies that will aid economic growth and development,” he said.

(NAN)