From: Ali Abare, Gombe

The National Population Commission (NPC) says it would employ the use of biometrics in the 2018 census.

This and omission believed would eliminate manipulation during the process.

Federal Commissioner of the Commission,   Mohammed Bala Magaji, disclosed this on Thursday, while speaking with journalists in Gombe State  on the third phase of the enumeration area demarcation which took place in Billiri Local Government Area of the state.

Magaji said that during the census, biometrics would capture the facial impression and finger prints of persons, with any hope of gaining advantage through manipulation of enumeration areas an illusion that cannot be realized as only persons physically seen will be counted.

Related News

He disclosed that trained digital assistants will capture spatial date and estimate enumeration areas during the demarcation which would be professionally undertaken in order to avoid overlap in the enumeration areas.

“High resolution satellite imagery will be used to ensure that no areas is left  not demarcated  and no place is duplicated, and the methodology being adopted will not allow for the creation of imaginary enumeration areas and any attempt to include non-existent household and buildings in the EAs will detected through satellite” he warned.

The NPC federal commissioner further explained that the ongoing enumeration area exercise is not the actual enumeration of persons living in the country and its outcome will not in any way determine the population of any community, local government or state.

“It’s just the division of the country into small geographical areas to facilitate enumeration,” he said.