THE URGENT NEED FOR POPULATION CENSUS IN NIGERIA

THE URGENT NEED FOR POPULATION CENSUS IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION

There is a saying that states that "He that must build a house must first of all sit down to count it cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it". This in other words means that for a person, body, group to successfully execute a task, they must put into consideration whether they have what it takes to do it. This above statement in relation to population census of a country and the task of governing the same country validates the proposition that "No government is ready for the task of governance without acquiring first, the population information of the subjects or people to be governed". An adequate information of the people to be governed will enhance governmental plannings, actions, policy and decision making e.t.c towards the people while inadequate information of the governed will only make the government to do little things which may not be important and necessary to the situation at hand or to the benefits of everyone. It may as well not reach the people who needed such intervention most.

Taking a vivid look at the nation Nigeria, it will be discovered that the country is being affected by many problem, things are not working out, poor standard of living, poor state of health such as lack of adequate health facilities or inadequacy of the government to intervene in important matters.... Many reasons could be adduced to be the cause of this. One mistake we make in Nigeria is that we hastingly conclude that the only issue affecting us is corruption. Yes, corruption have affected and is still affecting Nigeria but we cannot deny the fact that lack of true information of Nigerians have caused the government to fail in many ways. The last population census conducted in Nigeria was the one of the year 2006 which it result was not satisfactorily accurate. This could then mean that all the government plannings, actions have been upon the basis of guess work. A planning, actions and interventions which does not take into consideration the actual statistical figure of the people. It is upon this basis, that Nigeria urgently needs population census as this will make government to be aware of the state of her citizens, their social and situational condition, projects needed by them etcetera.

WHAT IS POPULATION CENSUS?

According to United Nations, a population census is the total process of collecting, compiling, and publishing demographic, economic, and social data pertaining to a specific time to all persons in a country or delimited part of a country.1 This is to say that population census involved the holistic process of gathering and making known the human population of a specific country at a given time with regards to their economic and social situation or condition.

In the view of Ikedinma, the word population is from the Latin word populare. Strictly speaking, a population is a group or collection of items. However, to a demographer, a population is a group or collection of people while census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. Population census therefore  is the process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing and publishing or otherwise disseminating demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specified time to all persons in a country or in a well delaminated part of a country.2 Following from this definition of Ikedinma, it could be said that population to demographers differs from it general usage as it may generally mean to collection of a group or collection of items while to them, it has to do with collection of group of people. Population to demographers dooes not majorly deal with things but with people. Census in his view is collection of information of people inhabiting a geographical area at a particular given time.

Bitrus Kozah opined that population census is a periodic process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing and publishing or disseminating demographic, economic and social data on all persons in a delineated part of a country.3

Following from the above definitions of population census as defined by different scholars, we can conclude that population census is the collection, compiling and publishing of information of people in a particular geographical setting over a given time with reference to their economic, social... condition.

FEATURES OF A CENSUS

By features of a census, we refer to as the essentials of a census. In other words, what characterized or made up all the process of a census. The United Nations lists four essential features of a census. They are thus listed below;

Each individual is enumerated separately; the characteristics of each person within the household are recorded separately.

The census covers a precisely defined territory and includes every person present or residing within its scope. The housing census should include every type of building and living quarters.

Each person and each type of building and living quarters is enumerated with respect to a well defined point of time.

The census is taken at regular defined intervals, usually every 10 years.4

Summarily, the above listed points of characteristic features of population census as given by the United Nations tells that in a population census, there is concentration on individuals living within a household, it will also cover everyone inhabiting a definite area(territory), occupied buildings are covered with respect to time. Finally, the activity is observed within a scope of time which is usually 10 years interval. These characteristics features of population census can be use to evaluate the state of agricultural production, man power , health status, housing, transportation e.t.c of a territory.

THE URGENT NEED FOR POPULATION CENSUS IN NIGERIA

The present situation of Nigeria is that which calls for urgent need of population census. The nation Nigeria has been affected and is still being affected by many factors and one of the potent tool to curb this is engaging in population census. This is because this exercise will bring to limelight the issues affecting an area, the people which it is affected and the best way to come to a solution to curb it. A survey of the nation Nigeria will tell that many aspect of Nigeria where Nigerians occupied lacks basic infrastructures. It will be right to say that there are aspect if Nigeria, where people does not have access to quality health care services, education e.t.c. 

Population census does not just give the statistical or numerical value of people in a geographical domain, the houses there but also, the situation of lives the people there and this may call for urgent government intervention. For instance, if a population census is done and it was discovered that the people living in an area lacks basic amenities to enhance a healthy living, the government through this exercise may swift into action to provide them. There can be many reasons which could be adduced for the urgent need of population census in Nigeria or other nations of the world but these reasons are harnessed or ancroed upon the national development of the country. In another sense, we can say that the arguments which have been given on the need and importance of population census exercise is anchored on the basis national development. This is seen to be supported In a statement given by former president, Oluwasegun Aremu Obasanjo in 2006. He noted that census is indispensable to the nation’squest of sustainable development.5 For a country to actually develop, it must put into consideration her population census.

The basic ingredient to plan for effective development in Nigeria is none other but her population status. There is an urgent need for population census in Nigeria because government needs to make their plan upon the basis of true fact and figure rather then the usual estimated one to as to truly actualize sustaining development. The population census of a country like Nigeria will reveal who Nigerians are, where there are, what they do and situation of things if  where they are and how they can be improved. Following this can be responses and reaction to improve or make them better. This shows the importance and essence of population census to Nigeria.

As earlier stated, there are many reasons why Nigeria urgently needs population census. These reasons are anchored on actualization and realization of her national development. The many reasons why Nigeria urgently need population census includes but not limited to the following

1. Lack of her Demographic Data for planning always make National Development Plans to fail: One of the features characterising a good country is the state of her development. Nigeria from the inception of her independence have craved for national development but it is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that after many years of independence, she have nit been able to realize this national development despite various resources, policies... put together to realize it. Hence she is referred to as an underdeveloped (below the state of development) or developing (just heading towards development). One of the reasons for this state is the lack of demographic data which makes her national development plan to fail. Demography is the study of the characteristics of human populations, especially with regards to their makeup and fluctuations and the social causes behind these. Lack of this equals to failure of her development plans.

2. Security Challenges Bedeviling Nigeria at the Moment Calls for Urgent Population Census: It is known that one of the problem tackling Nigeria presently is the state of her insecurity. Insecurities in Nigeria have caused lots of upheaval, tension e t.c. Nigerians are no longer safe to travel without the fear of abduction. A potent tool to fight insecurity in Nigeria is population census, hance an urgent need for it. This is seen to be supported by president Mohammadu Buhari in his statement on the plans for population census in Nigeria in the coming year. He said that "a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census’’ will help government in planning purpose for development, especially in bolstering the social security programme that targets more vulnerable Nigerians and the data to be generated from the 2023 census would be used to tackle the security challenges bedeviling the country as it will give an overview of the population. The president statement validate the fact that there is an urgent need for population census in Nigeria.

3. It will help in her National and Subnational Planning, Particularly for Healthcare and Education: An urgent need for population census in Nigeria will help in her national and subnational planing. This can be particularly seen in healthcare and education. Majorly, Nigerians lack good and quality healthcare and education. This can be seen in lack of hospital, health workers or care givers, schools and quality teacher. There are aspect of Nigeria where governmental intervention with regards to schools and hospitals have not gotten to. This makes life and living to be difficult to Nigerians living in this area. Tackling this calls for a urgent population census because firstly, the exercise will help to discover these aspects, government will know their urgent need, know the totality of people needing the project. They will then make plan for and execute the project adequately. This will in turn bring about an enhanced and improved standard of living of the people.

4. An Accurate, Reliable, Population Census in Nigeria Will Enhance Her Development: The urgent need for population census in Nigeria will birthed an enhanced development of Nigeria. Population Census in Nigeria can be use as a basis and medium for enhanced development of Nigeria. This can be seen in the sense of the need of the people through her social, economic, demographics data collated be made known to the government. After this, government providing the needs will birthded the enuaced development needed. Population census gives the social photograph of certain condition which will calls for 

5. It is Needed by Government to Plan for the Services to be Provided to the People: It is the duty and responsibility of every government upon assumption of office to meet the need of her people.  A factor that characterised a good governance is meeting the needs of the people. It can be argued that the failure of a government is predicated upon her inability to meet the needs of her people. The citizens of a country are always having a high hope and aspiration from the government to provide basic amenities for them. For government to realize this, she needs an adequate population census because it will help her to know what is needed, where it is needed, at what state or renage it is needed and how to plan towards and execute them. These service required of the government to the people includes but not limited to housing, heath care, transportation, education.

6. Population Census Play a Major Role in the Allocation of Elected Political Seat in Government and Government Resources and  Disbursed Money for Development: Population census in Nigeria will play a vital role in allocating political seat in Nigeria. It will also help in development exercise if Nigeria because it also constitutes a vital component of resource base having the potential to develop a country.

7.It will be use to Determine the Standard of Living and make Government to Understand the Housing and Demographical Wellbeing and Deficit of the People: The urgent need for population census in Nigeria help to know the standard if living if people and make government to be aware of the well being and defects of people. The standard of living being known in relation to their well being and defects will inform the government on actions to take to enhance more the quality of standard of living of the people. When government discover through population census that people are living below the standard of living and swiftly move into action. Population census then is important to Nigeria in her present situation.

8. It Captures Landmass, Water, Age Distribution, Goods and other Resources that Should be Harnessed for Growth and Development: An urgent need for population census in Nigeria will not just capture the numerical value or strength of her population but will as well capture her landmass, water, age distribution, resources e t.c which can be harness for her growth and development. When population census is conducted in Nigeria, it will herness these and many other factors together for her development.

9. It is a Credible Tool to Fight Various Factors and to Profer Solution to Issues Affecting a Demographic Area and her Occupants: The present situation of Nigeria present it with various factors which is affecting her. This is evidently seen in degradation in the quality and standard of living, inflation, economic breakdown, unemployment e.t.c. With this at hand, population census can be said to be urgently needed in Nigeria to Profer solution to these issues affecting Nigerian.

From the foregoing arguments, it has been said that population census is a necessary tool and ingredient for actualization of national development. It has also be argued that population census makes the government to realise the problem of the people and their demographic setting which will call for their urgent intervention. The problem with this notions is thus seen in whether or not population census can birth national development or it just being a speculation, assumption and proposition. The evaluation of the quality of data has been posed with many problems ranging from not counting everyone to fake data by respondent. The fact remain that there is no system presently in Nigeria which can capture and collate her population figure. The fact remain that everyone cannot be counted and this is a major problem.