National Population Commission trains journalists ahead of Census

The National Population Commission (NPC) on Thursday organized a one-day Capacity Building Workshop for Ogun State practicing journalists on Effective Reporting of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

Penpushing reports that participants include Publishers, Editors and Reporters cut across print, radio, television and online newspapers, held at the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) hall, along Moshood Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital

The presentation at the workshop include topic such as ‘History of Population Census in Nigeria and Mandate of the National Population Commission which was handled by Mr Folami Muka who is the Deputy Director Cartography Department.

Penpushing further reports that Otunba Lanre Anifowose, Retired Director Cartography Department delivered lecture of the topic, ’Enumeration Area Demarcation for 2023  Population and Housing, while the Deputy Director  Census Department, Mr P.O Alaki spoke on the topic, ’Processes and Methodology for 2023 Population and Housing Census

The Director National Population Commission (NPC), Ogun State , O. S Adeleye presented  the topic, ’Technological Innovation in 2023 Population and Housing Census, and Funmi Wakama, General Manager Nigerian Television Authority(NTA),Abeokuta handled the topic, ’How to Generate Media Contents on 2023 Population  and Housing Census

Penpushing also reports that Ogun State Federal Commissioner, Yeye  Seyi Aderinokun, in her speech explained that the commission is not a political organization, stressing  that its responsibility was to conduct census meant to generate data for economic planning.

The Commissioner represented by Director of the National Population Commission (NPC) Olushola Adeleye, clarified that the 2023 planned census is not ethnic or politically motivated., adding that the commission will be embarking on physically counting of the population.

Penpushing reports that she declared that counting would not be done by proxy, and that it will be digital, having concluded arrangement to deploy advanced technological tools to code building and land mass, detailing information such as location, landscapes among others

The Federal Commissioner described Ogun State as a population convergence point, stressing that the workshop was to train journalists on how to report census efficiently and effectively, and that census is designed to generate data for economic planning

“We are not a politically organisation. We have responsibility to conduct census; it is a research that is meant to generate data for economic planning. We are not ethnic or political related or motivated. The census result will be verifiable and it will be digital; we are deploying technological innovation”, Aderinokun said

Penpushing further reports that Muka in his own presentation explained several census done in the country had been marred with different complaints because people believed it was politically motivated, and emphasized the importance of the commission having a people-oriented exercise.

“Getting the people involved to participate and own it is paramount to its overall success. However, in Nigeria, the conduct of population censuses over the years has been fraught with many challenges due to the perception of many people as to what a population census is or is not’, he stated.

‘The outcome of a population census in terms of size, has always thrown up heated exchanges between the various groups within the polity thereby adversely affecting the growth and development process of the country because the use of such data for planning for national development is always underplayed” , he added

Penpushing also reports that the General Manager of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in her own presentation encouraged the media to be a veritable partners for the exercise and its outcome to become acceptable.

Meanwhile, the veteran journalist and former  first female Chief Press Secretary in Ogun State pointed out that having a reliable data of the country’s population would help in planning and development purposes.

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