Reps vow to investigate N200bn spent on postponed 2023 Census

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to investigate the money expended on the postponed 2023 population and housing census by the National Population Commission (NPC), amounting to N200 billion.
This followed the adoption of a moved by Hon. Dominic Okafor from Anambra State and Hon. Patrick Umoh from Akwa Ibom State at plenary.
Moving the motion, Okafor said the NPC had admitted to having spent N200 billion as part of the N800 billion budgeted for the planning mid-execution of the 2023 population and housing census, which was postponed.
The lawmaker noted that the national census was last conducted in Nigeria in 2006 and the 2023 census which was scheduled for May 2023, was postponed by the National Population Commission.
He expressed worry that the data collected in the 2006 Population Census is far from reality in 2023 and cannot validly form a solid base for the formation of national economic policies that will aid the federal government in administering viable national planning.
“Aware that the financial investment in 2023 population census planning would have improved economic planning and distribution of palliatives in the country.
“Worried about the National Population Commission remarks, that if the population and housing
census fails to take place within 12 months, the information gathered across the country would become stale, a waste of resources and the country would have to increase costs of gathering fresh information.
“Aware that the National Population Commission, led by the Chairman, Alhaji Nasir lsa Kwarra, expressed readiness to conduct a population and housing census during a visit to President Bola AhmedTinubu on July 6, 2023,” he added.