Bayelsa State government has made an appraisal and review of preparations in the state towards the national population census scheduled to hold nationwide next month.
Government has also put plans in place to intensify public awareness of the forthcoming census through radio jingles, printing of posters, banners and flyers to be distributed to all towns and communities spread across the eight local government areas.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stated this while briefing the heads of local government, and chairmen and secretaries of the census committees set up at the local government level, at a meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
According to the Deputy Governor so much work was urgently needed to be done, in order to create the necessary awareness among the Bayelsa populace concerning this year’s census exercise.
He noted that the state government is ready to do everything possible for the smooth conduct and success of the population head count in the state by the National Population Commission (NPC).
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to give maximum cooperation to the Commission before, during and after the crucial national assignment.
He assured the state director of the NPC and the local government coordinators that government would provide logistics to ease movement of personnel and materials across the state, while the local government councils would provide accommodation for equipment.
Earlier in a remark, the State Director of the National Population Commission, Mrs. Evelyn Micah, expressed gratitude to the State Government for its support and preparedness to make the census a huge success in Bayelsa.
Mrs. Micah, who pointed out that twenty-twenty-three national digital census was strategically important to the nation, said the most vital thing needed at the moment was publicity to create adequate public awareness, especially in the rural areas.
She also stressed the need for the provision of logistics to motivate ad hoc staff, and engagement of guides in the various communities to accompany the enumerators to move from point to point.
Briefing on the level of recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff for the census across the eight local governments were also given at the meeting by the local government coordinators.
