The National Population Commission (NPC) is currently running a Pre-test Census in four local government areas of Enugu state in preparatory for the nation wide Census exercise to be conducted in 2022.
Four Local Government Areas, LGAs – Nkanu East, Udi, Igbo Etiti and Nsukka were the areas chosen for the Pre-Test exercise, which is expected to be concluded Friday, December 10 Page3news.com.ng reports.
•A house in Imanma Okonjo Ngwo locality…Udi Local Government Area, Enugu
While fielding questions from journalists, the National Population Commission, NPC, Federal Commissioner in Enugu state, Honourable Ejike Eze said today that the Pre-test Census in the state is meant to strengthen them ahead of the main census.
“Our men on the field for the Pre-Test exercise have not encountered any issue since the beginning of the exercise.
“The state government has been very supportive financially and security wise. Our NPC staff have been very dedicated and are ready to deliver a verifiable census”, said Hon Ejike Eze.
He said that the exercise is aimed at testing the ability of their staff as well as the ad-hoc staff currently on the field, conducting the Pre-test Census in the four chosen local government areas.
“The exercise is aimed at testing the census methodology, the questionnaires, data collection methods, data editing and coding, data processing and tabulation in preparation for the manual census”, he explained.
According to Eze, the exercise will enable them to know the ability of the clarity of concepts, instruments and contents, use of the Enumeration Areas (EA) maps for the census, the workload on each team of enumerators and supervisors.
Though he did not disclose the number of the Ad-hoc staff recruited for the exercise which will enable them to know the logistics support from the state and LGAs, Eze said the techniques adopted for advocacy/IEC for the census is immeasurable.
“The deployment of sophisticated technology can make the real census less stressful and make us know the relationship between EAD estimated population and 2nd Pre-test population and adequacy of the data capture method among others”, he said.
Speaking on the welfare of the field workers in the Pre-Test exercise, Eze said that it is difficult to satisfy human beings, “but we have provided over 98 per cent for their welfare.
“We have done our best to ensure that they are happy and ready to go extra time”.
