Date: 2020-11-28

The National Population Commission (NPC) on Friday called for the support of traditional rulers in Kwara for the success of its coming enumeration and demarcation exercise in three local government areas of the state.

Mr Rasaq Gidado, Federal Commissioner of the Commission in the state made the call when met with traditional rulers in Irepodun, Ekiti and Oke-Ero Local Government Areas of the state where the exercise is planned to take place in December.

Speaking at the palace of the Olupo of Ajasse-Ipo, Oba Sikiru Atanda, who is the chairman of the Igbomina/Ekiti Traditional Council, Gidado explained that the enumeration and demarcation exercise was not population census, but a foundation for having a successful census.

"We know the importance of having the support of the traditional rulers and the people of the communities in our activities and as a result of that, we are here to intimate you and seek for your support for the coming enumeration and demarcation exercise that will hold between Dec 19 and Jan 20, 2021"

"The enumeration and demarcation is an exercise that is always carried out by the National Population Commission ahead of any population census.

"We, the entire management team of the commission here today, implore you, our royal fathers to please give all the necessary support to the workers of the commission that will be out for the exercise, especially in the area of security", he said.

The commissioner disclosed that the community would have the privilege of presenting a representative that would be taking the people around the various communities in a particular area.

While addressing the traditional rulers from Oke-Ero and Ekiti Local Government Areas, who gathered at Ilofa, the headquarters of Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state, the NPC boss said that the commission would explore technology in the area of Satellite Imagery and Geographic Information System to do most of its work.

He pointed out that the era of relying on pen and paper was fading away.

Responding, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba AbdulRaheem Adeoti, declared his support for the commission saying "one of the major problem the country is facing is lack of proper data of people that are living in a particular area and this had made it difficult for the government to cater for its citizens." (NAN)