* Leaves next administration to determine new date
President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
The Population and Housing Census, which was earlier scheduled for May 3 to 7, 2023, was postponed to a date to be determined by the incoming administration.
The President gave the approval after meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) Nasir Isa-Kwarra, and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, conveyed the message through a statement on Saturday morning.
“In arriving at the decision to postpone the census, the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last census, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people,” Mohammed said.
The minister also quoted President Buhari as saying that appreciable progress had been made in the preparation for and implementation of the now postponed census.
According to Mohammed, the President commended the methodology being put in place by the NPC to conduct accurate and reliable census.
“The President noted that with the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation of the country, conduct of first and second pre-tests, the recruitment and training of ad hoc workers, procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and ICT infrastructures, appreciable progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
“He also commended the methodology being put in place by the Commission to conduct accurate and reliable Census, especially the massive deployment of technology that is capable of delivering world class Census and laying a sustainable basis for future censuses.
“The President further directed the Commission to continue with preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements.
“The meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clem Agba and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha,” the statement added.
Earlier on Thursday, a Federal High Court in Abuja had declined an application seeking to stop the 2023 census.
Omotuyi Ademola had approached the court with an ex parte application seeking the postponement of the 2023 census for another six months.
He prayed the court to declare that the Commission is currently underfunded and therefore, unprepared to conduct a credible, effective and constitutional census.
Ruling on the motion ex parte, the presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, asked the applicant to put the defendant, National Population Commission (NPC), on notice.
Ekwo, who said the NPC should appear in court to show cause why the applicant’s motion should not be granted, adjourned the matter until May 5.