By Wilson Adekumola
The National Population Commission, has revealed that about N224 billion has been spent so far for the preparation of the 2023 population and housing census.
Chairman of the Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra made this disclosure at a breakfast meeting with media executives in preparation for the 2023 population and housing census, in Abuja on Thursday.
While explaining that N800 billion was budgeted for the census, the NPC boss stated that the federal government has only disbursed N224 billion for the exercise.
Isa-Kwarra said, “What we’ve been able to expend is about N200 billion. So the N800 billion is a budget and that budget covers the cost of conducting census in Nigeria. It is not that government has given us N800 billion but it is a budget and we believe that we may spend up to that or we may not spend up to that.
“To be straightforward, the federal government has actually provided N224 billion which we have utilised for the census so far.”
Isa-Kwarra expressed gratitude to President Buhari’s decision to postpone the census, noting it was the right thing to do as the nation is about to transit into another administration.
He also assured Nigerians that the security challenges in the country would not mar the counduct of the exercise.
Also, Federal Commissioner representing Oyo State, NPC, and Chairman Public Affairs Committee, Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji, said the census was not cancelled but only postponed and that preparations still continued.
He said, “The census process continues. Even though it has been postponed and rescheduled, we want to make a statement that it has not been cancelled, the process is continuing.
“When President Muhammadu Buhari announced the postponement, he also charged us to continue activities while allowing the incoming government to become part of the process and own the process.
“We want to assure Nigerians that the preparations that have been made and money spent is secure, they are not wasted, we will continue to work towards the success of the exercise.”
