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2023 Census Will Not Canvass Questions On Religious Affiliation —NPC
Joel Ajayi
The National Population Commission (NPC) has revealed that the 2023 census will not canvass questions on religious affiliation.
The Director, Public Affairs of NPC Isiaka Yahaya, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, stated this on Tuesday while debunking a viral WhatsApp audio claiming that the religious affiliation of a person will be canvassed.
According to the statement, our attention has been drawn to an audio tape going viral on the WhatsApp social media platform across the country which stated that the religious affiliations of respondents will be canvassed in the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
“The audio tape calls on Muslims in Nigeria to see the purported canvassing of information on their religious affiliations as a tool to suppress their population figures. It therefore instructed adherents of the Islamic faith to resist any attempt to divide the religion of Islam by refusing to answer any question on their religious affiliations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to state unequivocally that the 2023 Population and Housing Census will not canvass questions on religion and religious affiliations of respondents.
“The decision to exclude religion along with ethnicity from the census questionnaire was taken in due consideration of the sensitive nature of these issues within the Nigerian polity and the need to save the census data from needless controversies and attention.”
The statement further said that a fact check on the origin of the purported message showed that it was first circulated in Ghana during its 2021 population census exercise through a Whatsapp message. “This negative message found its way into the Nigerian social media space in July 2022 when the Commission conducted the Trial Census. The re-circulation of the message in audio form as the Commission sets to conduct the 2023 Population and Housing Census in May 2023 is an indication that some elements are bent on drawing the 2023 Census into unnecessary controversies through propagation of falsehood and incitement of a section of the population to destabilize existing peaceful coexistence in the country.
“The Commission carried out extensive consultation with data users and stakeholders in coming up with the questions to be canvassed in the next census. The overarching goal of the questionnaire is to generate data that will facilitate sustainable development. The questionnaire is robust and include demographic characteristics of respondents and other socio-economic characteristics but without any question whatsoever on religion and ethnicity.
“Members of the general public are therefore enjoined to disregard the rumour of question on religious affiliation contained in the audio tape in circulation and extend maximum cooperation to the enumerators for the sake of delivering a credible, reliable and acceptable 2023 Population and Housing Census data for national development planning.”
News
FG Inaugurates Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit in Youth Ministry
The Federal Government has inaugurated the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Speaking at the inauguration, the Permanent Secretary, represented by the Director of Education and Youth Development (EYD), Mr. Kabir Mohammad, described the event as a significant milestone in the Ministry’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance.
He expressed gratitude to the ICPC for its guidance and support in establishing the unit, acknowledging the dedication and hard work of the Ministry’s staff in making this initiative a reality since its separation from the Ministry of Sports.
“To the newly inaugurated members of the ACTU, I charge you to discharge your duties with integrity, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. Your role is critical in ensuring that our Ministry operates with transparency, accountability, and integrity,” Mr. Mohammad stated.He also urged Heads of Departments and Units to collaborate with the ACTU, particularly on integrity and compliance matters, noting that these areas are crucial to the annual performance evaluation of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in alignment with ICPC principles.
In his goodwill message, Mr. Olusegun Adigun, representing the ICPC Chairman, emphasized the importance of the ACTU in advancing the Ministry’s vision.
“Aligned with the Ministry’s vision of empowering Nigerian youth to succeed in all fields of life through dedication, unity of purpose, and commitment to national development, the ACTU will serve as a strategic instrument to support the Ministry in achieving its objectives through its mandated duties,” Mr. Adigun stated.
He further advised the Ministry’s leadership to create an enabling environment for the ACTU by granting it representation in standing committees, in accordance with the government circular Ref No: OHCSF/SPSO/CSTD/314, dated October 5, 2016.
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