The European Union (EU) has approved to grant 20 billion naira (about 151 million US dollars – 860 mio. DKR) to support Nigerias census to be carried out this year, local newspaper This Day reported Saturday.
The money is to ensure that the exercise is not only accurate and complete but generally accepted by the majority.
– An accurate and credible census is critical to the ongoing National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) program, because it forms the basis for efficient planning and resource allocation, a EU-spokesman said.
The EU support is being implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNPFA) and will focus on the remuneration of enumerators estimated at more than 800.000 people.
– The support will provide census questionnaires and related information technology equipment, additional expertise and training as well as support to census advocacy, he added.
Other support under the EU grant includes monitoring by external census group and monitoring by Nigerian civil society organizations.
– Transparency is essential to the successful implementation and eventual acceptance of the census results and as such Nigerian civil organizations to be selected after a call for proposals will monitor preparations for the census, the census itself and post census activities in all the six geo-political zones of the country, said an EU press and information officer.
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is expected to formally launch EU support to the census exercise in the capital Abuja.
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with a population of over 130 million, according to the Nigerian Population Commission. However, some authoritative organizations in the country said the official figure is not accurate and the nations population is possibly as high as over 150 million.
A correct census is also important in the ongoing strife between Christians in the south and muslims in the north of the huge country
Kilde: The Push Journal
