Health
THE National Population Commission (NPC) on Tuesday held a one day capacity building workshop for journalists for Effective Reportage of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in Anambra.
Mr Chidi Ezeoke, Federal Commissioner representing Anambra in the NPC declared the workshop open in Awka.
Ezeoke said that for the success of the census, there was need to constantly convey information to stakeholders of which the media was very important.
The theme of the census is “You Count, Be Counted”.
He said that with the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for the conduct of the next Population and Housing Census (PHC) from March 29 to April 2, 2023, every citizen and resident of Anambra should participate by presenting themselves to be counted.
He said the NPC had conducted the first and the second census pre- test, Trial Census and Trial Post enumeration surveys to test the census instruments in preparation for the Census proper.
Ezeoke said building the capacity of journalists and deepening their understanding of the Census process would enhance their productivity in reporting more positively.
According to him, for a people-oriented organisation such as the NPC, constant and effective engagement with the media is a crucial first step it must take in the attainment of its constitutional mandate of generating data for national planning.
The commissioner solicited the support of all stakeholders to deliver to the country credible and reliable data it could use for sustainable development planning.
“Therefore, the convening of this training workshop for journalists in Anambra State is one of such engagements and it underscores the determination and commitment of the Commission to conduct a successful census.
“The goal of this workshop is to share with you the vision of the Commission and draw your support to ensure broad-based national cooperation for the implementation of the activities of the NPC, especially the upcoming 2023 PHC,” he said.
Ezeoke assured that the Commission was committed to ensuring that everything about the Census was done rightly and professionally.
In his remark, Mr Paul Nwosu, Commissioner for Information in Anambra said the State Government viewed the PHC with all seriousness as it was important to its planning and policy formulation.
Nwosu regretted that people of the Southeast had treated the census with a laissez faire attitude that they went to farm or business places during censuses and called on residents of Anambra to change their attitude.
According to him, this time we are taking it seriously, we are doing more sensitisation and enlightenment because the government plan census figures, this training is at the core of what will happen between March 29 and April 2.
“Headcount is very important, only those who are counted will be planned for, it is about planning, about how to share limited resources to a large population,” he said.
A bouquet of five presentations were made including “Area Demarcation for the 2023 PHC” by Dr Joachin Ulasi, the NPC Director in Anambra and “Processes and Methodology for 2023 PHC” by Mrs Chinyere Maduagu, Director in charge of census.
Others were “Technological Innovation in the PHC” by Henry Ananti, “History of Census in Nigeria, Structure and Mandate of NPC” by Nma-Rose Nweke and “How to Generate Media Content on the 2023 PHC” by Dr Emeka Odogwu, chairman of NUJ in Anambra.
No fewer than 30 journalists from different media organisations in the state participated at the workshop.(NAN)
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Tags: Chidi Ezeoke Emeka Odogwu NPC
