The National Population Commission has called for a review of the statutory mandate establishing the commission to enable it to use digital technology in conducting the 2023 housing and population census.
The NPC Chairman, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, said this during a workshop on the legal framework for digital census, which started in Nasarawa State, on Monday.
He added that with the use of electronic equipment like personal digital assistants, the deployment of high-resolution satellites, geographical information systems, global positioning systems, and digital maps of enumeration areas, it was crucial for the NPC to operate on the right legal framework.
According to the chairman, this review and recommendation are necessary for the 2023 census to be credible and the result reliable.
He said, “The commission in consonant with its determination and commitment seeks to evaluate the proposed use of electronic equipment such as personal digital assistants, the deployment of high-resolution satellites, Geographical Information Systems, Global Positioning Systems, and digital maps of Enumeration Area for the 2023 Population and Housing Census in relation to existing laws establishing the commission and its functions.
“This step is necessary to ensure that the commission operates on a firm legal foundation as it sets to deploy digital technology to execute the forthcoming census in 2023.”
He added, “The cardinal focus of this workshop is to review and propose Amendments that will among other things seek to strengthen the statutory mandate of the commission and at the same time build confidence in the census-taking process. With a strong law to safeguard the process, Nigerians will have greater confidence in the census results when released.”
The NPC chairman further said that the commission was committed to inclusive, user-friendly census data.