The Federal Commissioner representing Benue State at the National Population Commission, NPC, Mrs Patricia Kupchi, Tuesday disclosed that over one million workers have already been screened by the commission and found capable and ready to embark on the 2023 census exercise.
She disclosed that the Commission has also acquired about 500,000 Personal Digital Assistants, PDAs, that have been configured and delivered to the 36 state offices and Abuja ahead of the census.
The Federal Commissioner who made this known during a One Day Breakfast Meeting and Briefing with Media Executives organised by the Commission in Makurdi said adequate arrangements had been made for the storage and security of the equipment to prevent damages and theft.
Commission had commenced training certain categories of personnel before the announcement of the rescheduled census.
“These training include the facilitators at national, zonal and state levels, Data Quality Managers, Training Centre Managers, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers. The next categories of personnel to be trained are the Supervisors and Enumerators.
“In readiness for the census, the Commission had carried out massive advocacy and publicity for the 2023 Census at national and state levels. The Media campaign was intensified while collaboration with stakeholders was strengthened through the inauguration of Census Publicity Committees at national, state and LGA levels. Publicity materials in English and local languages have been disseminated and social media has been deployed on a massive scale. The Commission will continue to carry out advocacy to ensure that the census messages remain at the centre of national discourse.”
In their separate responses and remarks, the media Executives from the Print and Electronic media gave their commitment to partner the Commission to ensure the successful conduct of the census.