The National Population Commission, NPC, has clarified that the census questionnaire has no column for religion and ethnicity.
The commission made the clarification on Friday in Kano when the National Publicity Committee on the 2023 Population and Housing Census paid an advocacy visit to Nigerian Television Authority, Kano.
The visit was led by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Chairman of the committee and Minister of Information and Culture, represented by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari.
Speaking on the speculations that Nigerians would be asked questions on their faith and ethnic affiliation, a member of the committee, Dr Isiaka Yahaya, said the commission was not interested in such data.
Yahaya, who is also the commission’s Director of Public Affairs, maintained that issues of religion and ethnicity being peddled on social media were mere distractions and without foundation.
”Since 1991, when the National Population Commission, NPC, has been conducting census, we have never asked questions on ethnicity and religion.
”We didn’t do it in 1991, we didn’t do it in 2006 and we won’t do it now.
”The reason is obvious. The two issues are very sensitive and have the capacity to divert attention from the main issue of the census,” he said.
Similarly, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, urged Nigerians not to see the census as a contest among ethnic groups.
He said the census was only for planning purposes and not to confer an advantage on any group.
”For planning purposes, President Muhammadu Buhari said before he leaves office, he wants to deploy digital technology to conduct a headcount.
” The incoming president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, in planning with our resources, will know exactly how many Nigerians he is planning for,” Okechukwu said.
Abari on his part commended the authorities of NTA for playing a critical role in the sensitisation campaign for the headcount.
He reiterated that the headcount was solely to obtain data for national development purposes and urged the media to help tackle the twin scourge of fake news and misinformation.
Vanguard/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko
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