Enugu residents decry scarcity of sufficient sensitisation for May 3 census

Residents of Enugu State have declared that they were not aware of the forthcoming National Population Census in the country, scheduled to hold from May 3 to 8, 2023, across the country.

A cross section of the residents bared their minds in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu.

According to some of the residents, there have not been enough sensitisation on the census.

Mr. Olu Omotayo, a Civil Rights Lawyer, said he was aware of the exercise, but confirmed that many residents around him were not aware of the census.

According to him, the general awareness among the people was very low, adding that the National Population Commision (NPC) may need to do more in the area of awareness and sensitisation.

He said: “For me, I am aware of the forthcoming census exercise but I am not sure if many people around my area are aware.

“It appears many residents of my area are not aware of the census.

“With just few weeks to the commencement of the exercise, I wish relevant authorities should do more, otherwise the Government should start thinking of postponing the census further.”

Omotayo said that people have not yet recovered from the 2023 elections: “so, they are not really ready to be thinking of another government exercise now.

“We know that anything like census is very critical and controversial and holding it just after a controversial national election, a lot of people may not be interested,” Omotayo said.

Also speaking, Mr Steve Ofilli, a current affairs analyst, said the awareness and sensitisation by relevant authorities in charge, was not enough.

“Apart from some of us who are close to the media and have access to reading newspapers, many other residents are not aware of what is happening.

“I think the NPC needs to do more in the area of sensitisation because I am sure these things were budgeted for by the Federal Government.

“National census is a very important exercise. It aids national economic planning and must not be taken lightly,” he said.

Similarly, a trader at Holy Ghost market, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Ene, said she was neither aware nor intereted about the exercise.

Ene said she had decided not to participate in any government programes until she sees the outcome of the Feb. 25, 2023, Elections.

“They should leave us alone. After all the efforts we put in to change Nigeria for good by standing for hours on the sun to vote.

“Our votes did not count; so, how are we sure that our heads will count,” she said.

Mr Mark Okpo, a politician, said he was fully aware of the census exercise.

He, however, said that the government’s plan of scheduling the census on the same year with the national election was improper.

“I am also disturbed about several items omitted on the exercise, including issues like exclusion of tribe and religion.

“I have been doing my best to sensitise my constituents but it appears that since the election, their morale is low.

“Many don’t believe anything good can come out of the census,” he said.

Meanwhile, in reaction, the NPC Federal Commissioner for Enugu State, Mr Ejike Eze, debunked the insinuation of inadequate sensitisation.

He said that the commission had been on radio stations in the state with jingles and adverts, sensitising the residents.

He said the commission had also visited all the 17 Council Areas of Enugu State severally, telling people about the census.

“Even in the course of our demarcation exercise, we engaged stakeholders and also had a series of stakeholders’ engagements with traditional and religious leaders and government functionaries.

“We have excess applicants for census adhoc staff and in some Local Government Areas (LGAs), we have more than 2,000 applicants.

“So, if people are not aware of it, how did these people get to know about adhoc staff engagements,” Eze asked. (NAN)