FG shifts 2023 census to May

The Federal Government (FG) has postponed the 2023 population and housing census earlier slated for March 29 to May.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made the declaration while speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday.

The minister said the decision to shift the 2023 census was necessitated by the postponement of the gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from March 11 to March 18.

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He also disclosed that the council approved N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC) to procure some software to be used for the conduct of the census.

“There was a memo presented by the NPC, seeking for some software to allow them conduct the census in May this year.

”I believe because of the rescheduling of the elections, they cannot commence the census as scheduled.

“They sought council’s approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8 billion,” Mohammed said.

The Star