2023 Census: Kano State Do Not Like Policy Making In The Dark – Ganduje

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said on Thursday that Kano State does not give in to policymaking in the dark, hence will give maximum support to data collection in the 2023 national population census.

Naija News understands that the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said this on Thursday while hosting the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, yesterday in Kano State.

Mohammed led the National Population and Housing Census (NPC) Awareness Committee members on a courtesy visit.

He was represented in the visit by Director-General National Orientation Agency (NOA) Garba Abari.

During the visit, Ganduje assured of his government’s interest in supporting the NPC to ensure the conduct of an accurate and reliable census in the state.

He expressed optimism that the upcoming census would provide a good foundation that the Bureau of Statistics (NBS) could build upon to do more accurate surveys in the future.

Ganduje reiterated that the state government would work with relevant stakeholders to mobilise participation in the exercise.

‘’Kano State Government believes in the use of data; we don’t like policy making in the dark. And the only way we can improve the policy-making capability is through the good use of data.

“We have not had a census since 2006; all our numbers are out-of-date or from international organisations. Many of which we found were also guessing,” he said.

In his remark earlier, Mohammed said the committee was in the state for a town hall meeting with critical stakeholders ahead of the upcoming census.

“We had a useful interactive session with relevant stakeholders during our town hall meeting where critical issues were raised and discussed,” Daily Trust quoted the minister saying.

He lauded the governor for appointing a Senior Special Assistant on Population, the first of its kind in the country.

Naija News reports that the 2023 National Population and Housing Census is billed to begin on May 3.