The Senate on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to issue a proclamation for the holding of a population and housing census in Nigeria, in 2018.
The legislators who noted that the delay in the issuance of a declaration by President Buhari and poor release of funds to the National Population Commission (NPoPC), were major setbacks to carrying out the exercise, warned that the government needs to adhere to the United Nations provision which says that censuses should be conducted every 10 years, noting that the last census was conducted in 2006 by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, adding that by the 10-year provision of the census exercise requirement, it ought to have been in this year.
It therefore advises that in accordance with best international practices, a well planned and executed population census should be slated for 2018, that that way, Nigeria will keep records of births, deaths and the entire population of the country thereby enabling the country to plan well.