Ahead of the 2023 National housing and population census, the Imo state director, National population census, Barr. Ike Justice U. Mayor said the introduction of digital census will produce an accurate, reliable and verifiable census.
He noted that the use of the new personal digital Assistance PDA won’t permit for any manipulation or forgery of results collected as the data generated will be displayed the way it is.
He said prior to the postponement of the census exercise, the commission have conducted area demarcation and has gotten an Area demarcation frame which is vital for population census and other survey. He noted that the commission has concluded arrangement and has deployed materials and logistics to the various states for onward distribution to the local government areas.
According to him, the commission had already conducted a pre test of the device and a trial census with selected LGAS in the state as sample.
He further noted that there would be special census for people with special needs like those who are mentally deranged, the homeless and other to include them in government policies.
He said during the exercise proper, there would be Infrastructural assessment across the 27 Local Areas of the state to ascertain area that are lacking in social amenities which will form the basics of government plans in such areas.
He disclosed further that the housing/ population census will also encompass household listing and house numbering.
According to the state director, the first 7 days of the exercise will be used for household listing and house numbering while the other days would be the actual person to person counting.
He further seized the opportunity to inform Imo citizens to ensure to welcome and present themselves to the enumerators to be counted as he explained that population is the major instrument for infrastructural distribution, creation of jobs, national planning, and achieving sustainable development goals amongst others.
