The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the planned national census over Nigeria’s security challenges.
This call was made by the federal lawmakers at Tuesday’s plenary session.
According to the green chamber, the census scheduled for this year should be put on hold until the country’s security situation improves. The lawmakers also invited the chairman of the National Population Commission, (NPC), Nasir Kwarra, to appear before them over the feasibility of conducting the census in the face of insecurity.
The resolution followed the adoption of a Motion sponsored by Shehu Beji, from Niger State.
The NPC has been undertaking the enumeration area demarcation exercise ahead of the planned census, which President Muhammadu Buhari had approved N10 billion for in October 2020.
Leading the debate on the Motion, Beji said the insecurity in the country has displaced many residents of villages that ought to be captured in the census. He said some of the displaced persons have migrated to neighbouring countries to seek refuge and would not be captured if the census is conducted.
Beji further added that going ahead with the exercise will only waste Nigeria’s hard-earned resources and that with the 2023 General Elections around the corner, a national headcount “shall be prone to political manipulation by over-ambitious politicians”.
The Motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
