The National Population Commission (NPC) is seeking to review some of its legislation that will enhance its operations and build confidence in Nigerians, ahead of the 2018 census.
To this end, the commission is seeking for the establishment of the Census Appeal Tribunal which will hear and determine appeals or objections, arising from the outcome of census results as well as the methodology to be adopted in the next census exercise.
Chairman of the commission, Mr Eze Duruiheoma disclosed this in Kaduna at a three-day legislation review workshop for national and state commissioners of the commission.
The NPC chairman explained that the review of the existing legal framework of the commission, will provide a platform to address issues of common concerns and propose modifications, that will enhance smooth and credible population census .
The NPC is saddled with the responsibility of managing the nation’s population figure and meeting the data needs of end users for national transformation and global competitiveness.
The Commission says there is need to put in place legal framework that would enhance its performance, improve efficiency and remove impediments in the effective operations of the commission.
“The National Population Commission Act was formerly Decree no 23 of 1989 and it has undergone three reviews during the military era. These review resulted to the following amendments.
Decree no 31 of 1991 for the establishment of Census Tribunal to adjudicate on objections/petitions against census results, appointment of Director General and other principal officers of the commission, Decree no 26 of 1992 third Schedule which provide procedure for the proceedings of the Census Tribunal and Decree no 16 which accords the Director General the power of accounting officer and administrative head of the commission.
The aim of the workshop is to strengthen the commission for sustainable management of Nigeria’s population for sustainable development.
The host governor, Nasir El-Rufai who was represented by his deputy, Bala Bantex, stated that Nigeria’s growing population as the 7th largest in the world, requires an up to date legal framework to effectively accommodate the reality.
He warned that the next census should not be politicised as witnessed during in 2006, but should be seen as a platform for planning for the welfare of present and future generations.
“For too long, the nation has condoned the situation in which census was treated as politics by other means with grave implications of compromising its usefulness for planning purposes.
“The census process had been driven by narrow political considerations at the expense of our collective national interest and avowed desire for progress. This self destructive path is certainly at variance with national collective interest.
“This is because census is not politics and should not be hijacked by political class. It is all about planning for the welfare of the present and future generations”.
Nigeria conducted the last census in 2006, with some states picking holes with the outcome. As the commission prepares for the conduct of another census next year, this review workshop is therefore expected to address some of the pitfall witnessed in the last exercise.
