By Stanley O. Nwosu

“Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let the people know you are doing the right thing” John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937).

This statement by American business magnate and philanthropist aptly captures the significant role of communication not only in public service but in every aspect of human endeavor. Human relation is a very complex phenomenon in which even the simplest of action is subject to several and sometimes negative interpretations due to inadequate or lack of information or distortion of the essence and rationale for such action. Most often, the ways a particular action is perceived, is coloured by prejudices, level of comprehension and self-interest of affected persons. The role of communication therefore is to set the records straight, tell the true story and bridge the gap between the facts and perception. Indeed, a seemingly bad decision may be better tolerated if it is properly communicated and its essence explained than supposedly good decision that is shrouded in secrecy. Therefore, publicity and advocacy are veritable tools to educate and sensitize the public about the conduct of the 2022 Population and Housing Census as well as cultivate public ownership of the exercise which enhance the acceptability of the census data. The significance of publicity and advocacy in the successful implementation of census activities cannot be over emphasized. There is the compelling need to create a conducive atmosphere, dissolve apathy, remove bias, cultivate public ownership and secure the cooperation of stakeholders and development partners for the next census.

Census is a people-oriented exercise that requires popular participation to enhance its credibility, reliability and acceptability by all. For the people to participate, they must be properly informed about the essence, rationale, methodology and outcomes of census data. It is in this regard that effective publicity and advocacy campaign becomes important to achieving a credible and reliable 2022 census. This even becomes more important in view of the misconception and misrepresentation surrounding past censuses leading to mutual acrimony and tension over the processes and outcomes of the exercises. Unfortunately, every population census conducted both before and after independence has ended in national controversy, strong allegation of population falsification leading to lack of general consensus among the populace on the size of the total population of Nigeria. While Nigerian government accepted the results of most of the past censuses conducted since independence, some Nigerians have not totally accepted some of the past censuses. The 1962 census results were rejected by some regional authorities leading to recount in 1963 which figures were similarly contested up to the Supreme Court that later ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to jettison the figures and so it remained the official figure thereon. In 1973 another census was conducted but the results were so controversial that they were not published at all on the grounds of allegation of deliberate falsification of the census figures for political and ethnic advantages. The 1991 and 2006 censuses generated misgivings in certain quarters though the results were accepted by the Federal Government.

A census exercise can be accurate but unacceptable. So, the acceptability of a census result is very important. How to make the 2022 Population and Housing Census credible, reliable and acceptable by Nigerian government, Nigerians and international development partners is of major concern to the National Population Commission and strategic publicity and advocacy implementation plan is being deployed to make this possible. Winning back the confidence of Nigerians in the census process is one major task before the Commission. This will involve advocacy visits to the strategic stakeholders to galvanize support for grassroot mobilization and massive public enlightenment on the primary and fundamental purpose of census taking. It is gratifying to note that the Commission has started cultivating public ownership of this forthcoming census at every stage of the exercise to make Nigerians to understand that it is a Nigerian project that will provide demographic data for development planning.

The Commission has set out publicity and advocacy tools to correct misconceptions some Nigerians have about census. Some Nigerians still view census as a mere head count of the country’s population to determine figures for political representation and revenue sharing formula leaving out the basic essence of census data which is for development planning hence why past censuses ended in controversy. Lack of public awareness, negative criticism, apathy, public resistance and misrepresentation of facts encountered in the conduct of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD), 1st and 2nd Census pre-test exercises across the States of the Federation and FCT which are the preparatory activities for the main census alluded to the fact that aggressive publicity and advocacy campaign should be done to make the next census acceptable and reliable. Some Nigerians were not aware of these preparatory activities and refused to cooperate with the field functionaries, others erroneously assumed these preparatory exercises to be the main census. The challenges affected smooth conduct of the exercises in some places. Regrettably, some stakeholders have also called for postponement of the next census on the basis of insecurity that has displaced many people from their homes and for paucity of funds. The misconception, negative reception and scathing criticism that greeted the census preparatory activities could have been avoided, if the populace were properly sensitized and educated on the essence, process and methodology of a census exercise. These criticisms, if not countered are capable of neutralizing the goodwill and support the Commission hopes to drive from the Government, Nigerians and Global world in preparation for the next census.

These challenges have made the Commission to put in place a solid publicity and advocacy strategy that will counter potential negative comments on the next census and reinforce its desirability as a tool for national development. The Commission is currently sensitizing and educating the populace on why the 2022 Population and Housing Census must hold and its essence, benefits, process and methodology. Truly, the public need to be educated that censuses are conducted, not necessarily to know the aggregate population figure, important as it is, but, primarily, to lay bare the demographic composition of the data so as to equip governments with relevant tools and data for planning and policy formulation for sustainable development. They should know that population census has the housing component which provides crucial information on the living standard of the country’s inhabitants. They should be made to understand that census data provides raw information on how many people are educated, hence the literacy level, how many are unemployed, how many have roof over their heads and the dependency ratio, among other information. They should know the importance of census data in planning for infrastructural development, anti-corruption, economic reforms and social welfare programmes. Knowledge of the essence and importance of census will make them support and accept census outcome.

The Commission is emphasizing on the desirability of the next census to address security challenges in the country so that some concerned stakeholders should stop using insecurity as a reason to call for cancellation of the next census. The Commission is making every effort to educate the public that solution to the security challenges bedeviling the country is not to call for census postponement but rather to support the conduct of the next census to get accurate and reliable data to tackle insecurity in the country. Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra stressed on this during his recent advocacy visit to Borno State. Understanding of this will make the public support and accept 2022 census to be able to get evidence-based information to solve the security challenges.

The Commission is making it known to the public the quantity and quality arrangements it has put in place to ensure the accuracy, reliability and acceptability of the next census. The Commission has made concerted efforts to let Nigerians understand the 2022 census process and procedure. In fact, the Commission has assured Nigerians that no resident in the country will be left out in the 2022 Population and Housing Census including those in the IDP camps. People are being sensitized on the 2022 census methodology, so that they will know that the 2022 census questionnaire has provision for follow up questions that will link information on Internally Displaced Persons to their usual place of residence. The knowledge of this will allay the fears of some stakeholders that are worried about their people being undercounted in the next census due to insurgency that has displaced majority of them. This will reinforce the national acceptance of the next census figures.

The Commission is seeking to combat misconception and misrepresentation that have encouraged the criticisms of past census figures by enlightening the public on the correct facts and information. It is educating the public on politicization and misrepresentation of the census process, demographic principles and census administrative units. The Commission is enlightening the people on the institutional structure of the National Population Commission in terms of representation of every state and FCT on the board of the Commission that makes sectional manipulation of the census outcomes unlikely. Also, the understanding of the broad base international support and involvement of development partners in the design, preparations and conduct of the 2022 Population and Housing Census will inspire public confidence in the census process and outcomes.

The Commission is making considerable efforts to let the public know the level of preparations it has put in place for the next Population and Housing Census. It is educating the public on the meticulous, professional and scientifically methods and technologies being deployed for the census activities – the use of very high-resolution satellite imageries to capture all the building structures in the country, the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) for geo-referencing, the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for data management, the use of Personal Data Assistants (handheld devices/tablets) that include computer software for data capture. The Commission has successfully completed Enumeration Area Demarcation in the 772 LGAs with only 2 LGAs remaining and has carried out 1st and 2nd Census Pre-test in the selected Enumeration Areas in the 36 States of the Federation and FCT. The Commission has also conducted Census Data Users Workshops to generate broad-based inputs into the design of census questionnaire. These activities are being implemented along with extensive stakeholders’ engagement and consultations as well as media campaign in order to forge broad national acceptance and consensus for the next census. The outcomes of these preparatory activities are re-assuring that the Commission is on course in its mission of delivering accurate census that will meet global acceptance standard.

So, sensitization and public enlightenment on the need for the next census will elicit public goodwill and support which will lead to the acceptability of the census result. However, Census taking is a huge investment and a national project that requires understanding, cooperation, and support of all Nigerians and beyond. The task of mobilizing Nigerians on this sensitive and important national assignment cannot be left to the National Population Commission alone. The support and cooperation of the State and Local Government especially traditional rulers who are the closest to the people at the grassroot to use their good offices to mobilize and sensitize their subjects on the need to support the next census is highly needed. It is good to note that the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra has started advocacy tours to State Governors and other stakeholders to galvanize support and mobilize the masses for the next census but more publicity and advocacy still need to be done to enhance the acceptability of the 2022 Census. The Commission must convince the populace to have confidence in the next census and accept the census data. Definitely, this is not an easy task, but one task that must be done for the Commission to deliver a credible and reliable census that will be globally acceptable.

Stanley O. Nwosu, is a Political Economist, Development Expert and Principal Public Affairs Officer in the National Population Commission

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