The Member Representing Ajaokuta Federal Constituency, Idirissu Lawal has called on the Federal Government to take urgent step towards the conduct of a credible census in the country, within the next one year.

Hon. Lawal who is the House Chairman, National Population Commission, NPC, who disclosed this Guardian in Lokoja on Thursday, said it is fool hardy for the country to continue to guess its population; a development that has hampered proper planning and put a negative toga on the country.

Lawal who waseaking against the backdrop of a bill to amend the National Population Commission which passed second reading on Tuesday being sponsored by him, said he believes that President Muhammedu Buhari will be interested in conducting census.

He said the best way to set Nigeria back on the path of recovery; expecially, with the devastating efforts of the Coronavirus pandemic, is to secured an authentic and verifiable records of its population through a validly conducted population census.

To this end, the Federal Lawmaker urged the Federal Government to immediately commenced preparation for the conduct of a comprehensive national census before the end of 2021, saying the exercise was long overdue.

According to him “It is extremely important to conduct a new national census, the last one conducted was in 2006. 14 years is too long a time for such exercise. And It does not augur well for us as a country to relied solely on projections by foreign bodies on her population figures for planning.

“Population census is an important national assignment because it’s figures are critical for national planning. The lack of accurate data on the population of Nigeria has been affecting national planning and development at all levels.

“The Federal Government should come up with a comprehensive timetable for the conduct of the census.

“Most countries around the world who knows the importance of census carried out their census every ten years. Without a census, and an accurate data of the number of people in a given country, no government can provide adequately for its citizens”.

Lawal said the census to be conducted must be the one that the outcome will be generally acceptable, stressing that it must also be at regular intervals, “If adequate measures are not put in place to ensure that population census is conducted periodically, at least once every 10 years, Nigeria will be lacking in the statistical data of its citizens either politically or economically.”

The bill for an Act to Amend the National Population Commission Act. CAP N67 laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, tagged HB661 which passed it second reading on the floor of the House on Tuesday seeks to specify the time for National Population Census.

The Bill also seeks among other things to: Provide a definite time for national population census; impose obligation on the President to issue a presidential proclamation for the conduct of national population census as a demonstration of political will; provide for appointment of seasoned and certified statisticians to lead the Commission; Review the fines imposed under the Act to reflect current realities; and generally enrich the principal Act whose fundamental objective is to provide large scale data for policy making and development planning.

Hon. Ganiyi Johnson who supported the bill said it is apt and timely considering the current situation Nigeria is facing today that required proper planning.