Wilson Adekumola
The Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission, Anambra State, Chidi Ezeoke has warned personnel and facilitators that will be participating in the 2023 Population and Housing Census against revealing sensitive information in course of the exercise.
The Commissioner gave the advice on Saturday at the closing and oath taking ceremony, after the training of 1159 NPC workforce and facilitators that will be participating in the exercise in Anambra State.
About 1159 specialized workforce and facilitators participating undergone training for the 2023 Population and Housing Census in the state.
He also told them to exemplify highest moral and ethical conduct towards the exercise.
He said, “We’re aware of our problems in 2006, and we know what we’re facing presently. But such won’t stop us from conducting the exercise because of its importance to national planning.
“I urge you to be good ambassadors of yourself and the commission you’re representing. Don’t divulge sensitive information and don’t be rude to respondents but exercise restrain where necessary.”
He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his support to the commission, especially in establishing the State Census Committee, just he sued for cooperation on the part of residents to encourage successful conduct of the headcount.
Director, Legal Services in the Commission, Dr. Mrs. Chioma Umeh-Kalu, who also spoke at event said, the oath taking was to protect and expose participants to certain principles, including secrecy and non- destruction of materials.
Umeh-Kalu, represented by Donald Chiemezie, stressed that offenses and penalties was not to create fear on participants, but for them to be on the same page with the Commission to get the best from them.
“We’ve had issues in the past where the commission was faced with several litigations after headcount. As a commission backed up by law, we want to avert such as much as possible” he said.
A member of the committee, and State Commissioner of Culture, Tourism and Entertainment, Don Onyenji congratulated the trainees for their decision to be part of the exercise, stating that, “it’s a privilege to be part of those to make history.”
While lamenting the underestimation of the state’s population created by ugly experience during the previous exercise, he expressed optimism that such ugly development would be addressed in the forthcoming census.
Chief Magistrate in the State Judiciary, Genevieve Osakwe, said, earlier during the oath taking that she would only append her signature to forms of facilitators bearing their recent passports and signatures.
On his part, State Director, NPC, Dr Joachim Ulasi said 1159 facilitators, including 431 Specialized Workforce took part in the oath-taking ceremony.
He affirmed that the training is satisfactory and quality of manpower as unquantifiable, saying, “it’s only in Anambra that when you open the portal, you see lots of PhD holders, Principals, Magistrates, among other senior officers applying as facilitators.”
