Two Civil Society Organisations, Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) and College of Bishops Imams and Clergy Councils (CBICC), have jointly described the recent call by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) to scrap the National Population Commission (NPC) as misguided comments that fail to recognize the importance of the Commission by law in gathering accurate population data which is essential for effective governance, resource allocation, and planning for the country’s future.
The CSOs which advocates for policy reforms and good governance in press statement signed by the duo of Rev. Solomon Semaka and Bishop Abel Kings, the Convener and National Coordinator of SNM and CBICC respectively expressed shock that a credible organisation like HURIWA has decided to engage in such of promoting an uninformed narrative against the National Population Commission including accusing the Commission of duplicating the duties of other agencies.
Part of the statement reads, “it is the highest height of ignorance to accuse the NPC of duplicating the duties of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), a sister agency that at best offers limited data for a few Nigerians. To begin with, NPC was established before NIMC so which organisation should be duplicating the other? Is HURIWA accusing the National Assemblies that passed the law establishing the NPC and NIMC for not knowing that the two agencies are duplicating themselves? Are they also insinuating that the Heads of States or Presidents that signed the NPC Bills into law were not updated to have ignored the so called duplicity of functions? Since when has this come to the fore? ” the statement read.
” No organisation or individual will compare the data captured by other organisations such as NIMC to that which is obtained by NPC in a proper census exercise. Voters data for example is restricted to adults who are 18 years above. NIMC also keeps a database on Nigerians and issue identify cards to eligible Nigerians who apply for same.
“The National Population Commission(NPC) on the other hand is mandated to collate comprehensive individual, demographic and housing data including a continuous record of vital events”
How can these distinct agencies duplicate themselves? “Even advanced countries like the USA, UK, France and so on that keep very strict hospital, electoral and immigration records including a functional Social Security system still conduct periodic censuses”
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