By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Mr.Babajide Sanwo-Olu has given assurance that his administration would provide enabling environment for the conduct of a hitch-free National Population and Housing Census slated for 2023.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance yesterday at the stakeholders summit for the project, held at Alausa, Ikeja Lagos.
The governor in his remark, strongly appealed to all Lagosians to participate fully in the exercise by cooperating with the National Population Commission (NPC’s) officials and the committees in the series of activities lined up towards the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
He said:”We cannot emphasize enough the critical role a credible National Census plays in achieving effective and result-oriented planning. This exercise is extremely important because apart from the population figure, the Census will also provide us with vital data and statistics in many other areas, that will enable us plan better and deliver more effective infrastructure and social services to the people of Lagos State”.
In his address, NPC chairman, Nasir Isah Kwarra declared readiness of the commission for the exercise and also appealed to all Lagos State residents to participate fully in the forthcoming exercise because of many benefits attached to it.
He commended Governor Sanwo-Olu’s proactiveness towards the exercise saying census is not about ethincity but about Nigeria.
Kwarra implored non indigenes of the state who work and reside in the state not to border theirselves by travel to their various home towns for the exercise but to stay in the state and be counted.
Also Speaking, the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abdulwasiu Lawal who represented Oba of Lagos , Oba Rilwan Akiolu at the event pledged the support of all the traditional rulers in the state towards hitch free exercise.
And appealed to Federal Government to share the data that will be gather from the exercise with the state government.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to share data derived from this next census with the state governments to enhance their planning.
On the other hand, I will also like to implore the National Population Commission to create more awareness and sensitize the public on forthcoming census and its importance. People need to know what to do towards and during the exercise”, he said .
In his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the governor on special duties, Mobolaji Ogunlende also reiterated the important of the exercise, said it would aid the planning of incoming administration for a greater Lagos.
He also implored all Lagosians to participate fully in the exercise noting that it is the first digital census in the country and it would give the government another opportunity to get thing right.