The National Population Commission has stated that the census questionaire does not include a field for religion and ethnicity.
The commission made the explanation 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 headed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Chairman of the Committee and Minister of Information and Culture, who was accompanied by Dr Garba Abari, Director General of the National Orientation Agency.
In response to anticipation that Nigerians might be asked questions about their faith and ethnicity, a member of the committee, Dr Isiaka Yahaya, stated that the panel was not interested in such information.
Yahaya, who is also the commission’s Director of Public Affairs, claimed that the themes of religion and ethnicity being promoted on social media were only diversions with no validity.
“Since 1991, when the National Population Commission conducted the census, we have never asked questions on race or religion.”
“We didn’t do it in 1991, we didn’t do it in 2006, and we won’t do it today.”
“The rationale is apparent. “The two problems are quite sensitive and have the potential to deflect attention away from the core subject of the census,” he added.
Similarly, Mr Osita Okechukwu, Director General of Voice of Nigeria, encouraged Nigerians not to view the census as a fight between ethnic groupings.
He said that the census was purely for planning purposes and that no organization would benefit from it.
“For planning considerations, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that before leaving office, he intends to use digital technology to perform a headcount.”
“The new president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, will know precisely how many Nigerians he is planning for,” Okechukwu stated.
Abari, for his part, praised NTA officials for their vital involvement in the headcount sensitization effort.
He stressed that the headcount was conducted purely to collect data for national development reasons, and he encouraged the media to assist in combating the twin scourges of fake news and disinformation.
Sani Yusuf, the General Manager of NTA Kano, stated NTA’s willingness to help the census sensitization effort.
He promised that the media outlet would create jingles to boost the campaign and cover the event.
The group also paid visits to Pyramid FM, Kano, Radio Kano, and Triumph publications.
