The House of Representatives has initiated an inquiry into the allocation of N200 billion designated for the suspended 2023 Population and Housing Census.
During the House plenary in Abuja, Hon. Clement Akanni proposed a motion titled “Need to Investigate N200 Billion Spent on the Suspended 2023 Population and Housing Census”.
The motion was adopted, prompting the House to task its population committee with summoning the director-general of the National Population Commission (NPC) to clarify the expenditure of the funds.
Census, recognized as the systematic gathering, compilation, and analysis of demographic, social, and economic data within a specific region, was underscored as vital by the lawmakers.
They emphasized that accurate and comprehensive data on population characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, education, occupation, and housing are crucial for informed governance.
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The House acknowledged the 2006 census conducted by the National Population Commission, which estimated the population at 140 million.
Moreover, it noted that the previous administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had planned to conduct another census in 2022, later postponed to 2023.
In March 2023, the former Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, disclosed that approximately N869 billion, including post-census activities, would be required for the census.
The National Population Commission had indicated that it had already expended around N200 billion to prepare for the 2023 census.
However, the House expressed concern over the indefinite suspension of the census by former President Muhammadu Buhari shortly before leaving office.
Consequently, the House referred the matter to the population committee for further investigation and subsequent deliberations.
(Daily Post)
