Date: 2016-10-31

Content of Motion:

The importance of population census in promoting development activities in a Nation cannot be over emphasized. A reliable census is important for a State to adequately plan growth, deliver services and solve a lot of social problems. For example, the National government uses census data in distributing resources and economic assistance to States and local government Councils.

In the past, Census activities have not been given the desired necessary attention in enhancing the demographic figures in the State. This situation has not only denied the State of the attendant benefits in terms of distribution of resources from the federation accounts but also in projecting adequately the quantity of effective service delivery in the State. This motion is therefore proposed to emphasize the need to promote population Census activities in the State for the utmost benefits of the people.

Introduction / Background:

The census is one of the most important sources of information that provides a basis for the official statistics of the country. Census is the total process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing and publishing or otherwise disseminating demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specified time, to all persons in a country or in a well delimited part of a country.

The history of Nigeria population Census dated back as 1866. Between the periods of 1866-1901, census area comprised Lagos Island and small parts of the mainland. From 1911 to 1931 the census area was extended with a view to covering the whole country. However, because of logistic, economic and other problems, the census exercises were based on guess estimation. However, following some civil disturbances in the Onitsha, Owerri and Calabar Provinces of Eastern Nigeria, by women whoreckoned that the purpose of the exercise was to tax them and increase the taxes on men, an act which had tremendous disruptive effect on the arrangements.

From 1953 through 1962 population Census in Nigeria was full of controversies over heated dispute concerning inflation of figures resulting in the cancellation of results of 1962 Census. The 1963 Census took place in a tense political atmosphere occasioned by increased awareness that political representation control and revenue allocation were determined mainly by population. The census recorded a total population of 55.6 million. Although the handling of the census was challenged in court, the Federal Supreme Court ruled that it had no jurisdiction over the administrative function of the Federal Government.

The population census of Nigeria was successfully conducted from 27th to 30thNovember 1991. The provisional figures from the census were accepted and released by the federal government in March 1992, following which detailed processing commenced. The total population of Nigeria as recorded in the 1991 population census was 88, 992,220 . Out of this figure 44, 529,608 are males while 44,462, 62 are females. The census showed a remarkably balanced distribution of males and females in Nigeria.

The headcount that was slated to hold for 2005was logistically shifted to 21st-25th March 2006. After the exercise, which was five years overdue, the National Population Commission (NPC ) put the total population of Nigeria at 140,003 ,542 made up of 68 ,293,683 females and 71,769 ,859 males .Nigeria's population has passed from 88, 992,220 to 140,003,542 in fifteen years. In this exercise, the population of Kwara State is put at 2,365,353.

With the new National population census activities fast approaching, it is expedient that adequate preparations are made considering the fact that census has become a potent political instrument not only for accurate socio-economic development planning, but also for economic and political placement in the distribution of national resources and social services.

Main Body:

It is a fact that Population census helps the Government to know the number of people living in the country and the structure of the population. It also helps in the determination of taxable adults so as to know the amount of revenue expected from that sector. It enables the country to forecast her future economic needs e.g. housing, food etc. Population Census provides Government with statistics to determine the level of unemployment in the country. The number of immigrants can be known through the statistics gotten from population Census.

It can assist the government in the distribution of resources e.g. areas of high population like Lagos and Kano often get more resources than areas of low population. Population Census gives the Government an idea of the different population in various parts of the country and this will help it in the provision of social amenities like housing, water, electricity, roads, schools, and hospitals e.t.c. Population Census helps the Government to know areas in the country where population per land area is low. It helps to reveal the total number of people who are working. When the level of manpower is high, the economic development of the country is assured. It assists the international agencies and Governments in giving aids and other assistance to countries. Population Census can influence a country's investment decision making process. Many investors like to invest in Nigeria because of its high population. A lot of problems are however associated with a successful conduct of population activities in the State. These problems have placed the State at less advantaged position in enjoying some of the benefits associated with accurate and higher population figures. It has become quite difficult to conduct a successful population census in the State as people are not adequately informed to give relevant, accurate and useful statistics. Since population Census is used to allocate resources to component states, population figures are usually falsified to enable some states gain more resources than others. A lot of money is required to conduct population census. Money is often required in the provision of logistics and in training and mobilizing personnel for the exercise. Most communities have difficult terrains which made them inaccessible especially during raining seasons. It is therefore important for this Honorable House to critically examine these impediments with a view of finding solutions to them before the next population Census in the State. These will enhance a more accurate population figure for the overall benefit of the people of the State. Conclusion: As part of pre-censor activities to effectively address the issue of population activities in the State is need for adequate registration of live birth by all Local government councils and the national population Commission. There is also the need for adequate technical and logistic arrangement for the Enumeration Area Demarcation as well as adequate publicity and sensitization campaign to properly educate the entire people of the State about the next population Census in the Country.

As part of the responsibility of State among others in enhancing population figure in the State during the Census exercise is to ensure adequate results from registration of live births in order to facilitate easy projection of the future population figure in the State. This is because inadequate registration will hinder the desired population figure during the Census proper.

It is also important for the State Government to provide logistic support to enhance mobility and fro registration centres and sufficient incentives to motivate the Registrars.

It should be noted that the issue of the Enumeration Area demarcation is the technical aspect of the entire geographical area of the country. Information on enumeration Area for the easy allocation of workload to the Enumerators helps to determine the estimation of the population figure before the actual counting. There is the need for State Government to make necessary logistic arrangement for the national population commission State Headquarters and Local Government offices including necessary welfare arrangement for the team of Demarcators and Supervisors, as well as monitoring/quality control Staff from national headquarter, Abuja.

There is the need for State to make adequate publicity and sensitization as this aspect is very vital at every stage of pre-Census, Census and post Census period. Proper publicity will enable every kwarans to understand the intricacies of live birth registration, enumeration Area demarcation and Census. This will make Kwara State to achieve the desired population figure.

There is need for state to embark on consistent Radio and Television jingles to comprehensively and widely sensitize the Kwarans and non-kwarans in the State on the essence of proper Census activities.

There is the need for Government to provide adequate logistic support to the National population Commission in terms of transport facilities for the movement of personnel and materials during the Census proper. Also the need to provide accommodation, welfare and feeding for field workers, Monitoring/Quality assurance team.

There is also the fundamental need to ensure that residents, especially the non-indigines in the State who are enjoying the economic benefits of kwara State did not migrate to their States during the Census activities. Past events have revealed mass exodus of people and deliberate mobilization of non-kwarans away from the state during previous Census activities. This is detrimental to the development of the State and should not be allowed to happen during the next Census exercise.