Lagos State Government has called on residents not to travel to their state of origin but be available for counting during the population and housing census.
This was made known by the Permanent Secretary, Ministery of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Ibrahim Obajomo, at a one-day sensitisation workshop on Y2023 Census, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, with the theme, ‘Benefits of Population Census and Encouraging Effective Participation by Residents of Lagos’, held in Ikeja, the state capital.
Obajomo said the previous population census showed that significant number of residents left Lagos for their states of origin and returned after the census, which resulted in inappropriate data collection for resource allocation, provision of infrastructural and economic development.
Obajomo, who was represented by the Director, Admin and Human Resource, Mrs. Mojisola Fashola, said, “The outcome of previous census showed that significant proportion of the residents usually travelled to their states of origin during the census and returned to Lagos after the exercise.
“There is need to discourage such practices in order for the state to have a robust population estimate that will attract appropriate support and intervention in terms of resource allocation.”
He said the state was not resting on its oars, as plans were in place to engage in “media campaigns and grassroots mobilisation to ensure residents are counted in their place of residence, rather than place of origin.”
The State Director, National Population Commission, Lagos Office, Mr. Sadiku Bamidele, emphasized on the importance of census to state and national development, stressing that full digital methodology would be deployed for the 2023 exercise, which would be an improvement on the 2006 population and housing census.
While reiterating the need for residents to stay and be counted where they live, former Head, UNFPA Lagos Liaison Office, Dr. Omolaso Omosehin, listed the benefits of population census and encouraged effective participation by residents of Lagos.
