Poor population data hampering effective planning, policy implementation – Anambra govt

By Chimezie Anaso

The Government of Anambra has said that the lack of reliable population data was responsible for the failure of most policies.

Mr Paul Nwosu, Commissioner for Information in Anambra, said this at a one-day workshop in Awka on Friday.

The workshop was for State and Local Government level Workshop for members of Census Publicity Committee on the Process and Methodology for 2023 Population and Housing Census in Anambra.

Nwosu said it was not realistic to plan with figures from 2006 population census or conjectures and succeed as it would only be mere speculatory.

The Commissioner, who is the Chairman of the State and Local Government publicity Committee in Anambra, urged the people of Anambra to participate in the enumeration exercise wherever they were residing, whether within or outside the State.

He assured that the publicity committee would do its best to ensure that the 2023 national population and housing census got to the corners of the state to achieve optimal participation of the people.

On his part, Dr Joachin Ulasi, the Director of NPC in Anambra, said the Commission had geo-mapped the enumeration use a hybrid technology that guaranteed appropriate and effective enumeration.

Ulasi said the conduct of census had continuously improved and that technological-based enumeration technique would be deployed for accurate gathering and production of census data.

He said people should present themselves for counting wherever they were and that there was no need for inter or intra-state movement as questionnaires took care of all necessary demographic information.

The event was declared open by Mr Chidi Ezeoke, the Federal Commissioner representing Anambra in the NPC.

(NAN)