The National Population Commission (NPC) will commence enumeration area demarcation exercise in 25 states of the federation and 36 local government areas, including Enugu State.
Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Ejike Ezeh, made this known when he led top staff of the commission on a courtesy visit to the governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, on Friday at her office.
He said that the exercise would take place in Enugu East Local Government Area from October 5 to 29.
According to him, “Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) is the process of dividing the entire land area of the country, including states and local government areas into small (mutually exclusive) geographical area and demographical units called Enumeration
Areas (EAs).
“The maps that are generated thereto are called Enumeration Area (EA) Maps. The units comprise specified numbers of persons and households which a team of enumeration can cover during a census. The success, credibility , acceptability and authenticity of any census in the State is dependent upon how well enumeration area demarcation exercise is prosecuted.
“If National Population Commission in Enugu gets the EAD exercise right, the forthcoming census will be right. Conversely, if the National Population Commission in Enugu gets the EAD exercise wrong , the forthcoming census in the state will be wrong in all ramifications.
””So far, National Population Commission, Enugu has conduced enumeration area demarcation in six local government areas, which include Aninri, Enugu South, Udenu, Nsukka, Nkanu West and Udi. It is instructive to state that Enumeration Area Demarcation is a painstakingly exercise which requires that the demarcators be adequately motivated so as to have that level of patience that will enable them to generate the required number of enumeration area from a specific locality”, Ezeh said.
He went on: “Where this adequate motivation is lacking the tendency is for the demarcators to large the enumeration area in a specific locality and leave that locality for other locality . Thus where ten enumeration areas should have been generated they might end up generating only five enumeration areas, which enumerators are deployed in such enumeration arras they cannot count everybody therein within the census period. In 2006, Enugu State was a victim of this development.
With recourse to history, the 1988/1999 demarcation exercise in Enugu State a census result of 2,125.068 population after 1991 census . The 2005/2006 EAD exercise produced 13,997 EA maps for Enugu State, which again gave Enugu State a census result of 3,267,837 populations after 2006 census.
“The difference between 1988/1991 and 2005/2006 EAD outcome was 4,895 EA maps. However, because of the magnitude of urbanization experienced in Enugu between 1991 and 2005, the Cartography Unit in the National population commission, Enugu earlier on projected that the 2005/2006 EAD exercise would produce about 15,000 EA maps in Enugu state. Thus when the 2006 census result gave Enugu State a population of 3,267,837. We in the national population Commission felt that Enugu State has been shortchanged in it’s real census figure. The blame goes to the moderate number of EX maps generated due to inadequate support gotten from the state government,” he said.
The Federal commissioner said that the exercise faced numerous challenges which included inadequate sensitisation of the citizens, he therefore appealed to the state government to”assist in the area of sensitization of Enugu State citizenry, ” and provide logistics for the Enugu State office of the National Population Commission.
Ezeh enumerated the gains of enumeration area demarcation for Enugu State to include, provision of necessary geographic frame that will enable census to be conducted in the entire Enugu State, , provision of basic data for planning and administration purpose among others.
Responding, Mrs Ezeilo said that “The leadership style of our amiable Governor encouraged and nurtures robust inter governmental relation at all levels on full appreciation of the fact that optimization of the potentials and opportunities of good inter-governmental relations, our federal system would go a long way to bring the much needed and desired socio-economic development to the State and it’s very good people.
” The constitutional and statutory mandate of the National Population Commission. is obviously very vital in the management of every aspect of our nation life as the government depend on the ; outcome of it’s activities to undertake appropriate measures to control the growth of the population and to accelerate the development of the economy
“We all know that rapid population growth reduces per : capita income, lowers the standard of living?into mass unemployment plunges the economy
into mass unemployment and underemployment triggers environmental damage and puts a debilitating burden on existing social infrastructure, poor population growth management would also lead to shortages of basic services, as security and law and other problems, plus human habitat degradation and deteriorating misery indices.
” The truth is that the nation, and every part of it needs the positive outcome of the work of the commission, for proper guidance in governance , planning and implementation”, she said.
The Deputy governor gave assurance that the state government will give the commission all the necessary support needed to perform their duties in the state.
She added: “Our citizens and residents will also be adequately sensitised and mobilised for the exercise to ensure its success”.
