By Augustine Okezie, Katsina
The National Population Commission, NPC, has kicked off the 11th Census Enumeration and Demarcation (EAD) exercise which is expected to cover 25 local government areas in Katsina State.
The Federal Commissioner, Katsina State, NPC, Engineer Bala Almu Banye, who made the above declaration at a stakeholder’s awareness workshop for 25 local government areas on EAD exercise, said the previous exercise involved 9 local government areas and that the present phase, which is expected to end in January 2021,will involve training and field work.
He recalled that the training of trainers and other technical officers for the EAD has been completed in Akwanga, Nasarawa State while the nationwide kick-off for the training of demarcators will hold December 11.
He said, “Planning for census is anchored on EAD as the bases for estimating both human and material resources required for the census. In essence, the success of a credible and accurate census depends very much on the quality and reliability of the EAD.
“It must be stated unambiguously that the EAD exercise is not the enumeration of the persons living in the country.’
“Its outcome is in no way the determinant of the population of any locality, local government area or state.’’
The NPC boss further acknowledged a working collaboration between the agency and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the creation of digital maps used during INEC’s registration exercise.
The NPC, according to him, also provides information for security surveillance, as well as crime detection, prevention and facts regarding household distribution obtainable from EAD.
