Plateau State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Honourable Ephraim Usman has said for any meaningful development to take place, the government must know its population for it to adequately plan for its citizens.
According to him, the state government would partner with the National Population Commission (NPC), to achieve its desired goal in the forthcoming exercise.
Hon. Usman made this known when the state commissioner of the Commission, Mrs Cecilia Dapoet paid him a visit in his office recently. The visit was aimed to also brief him on the level of preparedness of the commission for the forthcoming head count in the state.
According to the commissioner, the NPC should ensure they move to the rural areas for adequate sensitisation and training so that when the exercise commences, it would be a success in all ramifications because he said the bulk of the people reside in the rural areas.
He described the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as a grassroots based Ministry, as he assured them of support as well as extending their request to the Governor of Plateau State for the exercise to be hitch -free.
He further added that the state government was focused and E- governance would help accelerate development. The Commissioner explained that they have keyed into effective governance for the benefit of all.
Hon. Ephraim Usman thanked them for the visit, describing it as enlightening and wished them success assuring them of support at every time.
The State Commissioner of NPC, Mrs Cecilia Dapoet, who was represented by Felicia James Mwolpun posited that they were in his office to brief him the next census preparedness which she added was postponed earlier.
According to her, they had gone far with the level of preparedness which include adequate demographic conduct, electronic device test and train the trainers done to achieve the desired results. She added that with the earlier postponement, it afforded them the opportunity to plan more for the exercise.
She said, she Commission has constituted committees and sub – committees for the forthcoming exercise and gladly informed Hon. Usman that he was one amongst them.
In a vote of thanks, the permanent secretary in the ministry, Mr Sunday Davou, commended them for the visit. He informed them that what they never knew was brought to bear and wished them success in the forthcoming exercise.
