Insecurity: NPC Excludes Six Borno LGs From Demographic Survey

Due to insecurity, the National Population Commission has decided not to include six of Borno State’s 27 Local Government Areas in the ongoing 2023/2024 Demographic Health and Survey.

This was revealed on Monday at a press conference held in Maiduguri, the state capital, by the commission’s chairman, Nasir Kwarra.

Naija News reports that he said the panel carefully considered security issues before excluding the LGs, Chibok, Magumeri, Abadam, Mobar, Marte, and Guzamala.

The NPC Director for the state, Haruna Ibrahim, who represented Kwarra, pointed out that the NDHS exercise would collect high-quality data on a variety of critical indicators, including nutrition, gender-related issues, childhood mortality, fertility rates, and mother and child health.

He said, “They are considered flashpoints that require a lot of security logistics to convey our staff there, and we cannot risk the life of any of our staff.

“However, it would have an impact on the state but the excluded LGAs would take advantage of the neighbouring communities and LGAs, where the exercise is taking place, so that whatever result obtained there would also be applied to them.

“So, major stakeholders would use the data to make important decisions in addressing the unique needs of citizens, improve health outcomes, and reduce the burden of disease across the country.”

He urged the media to spend the next five months to dispel myths about the program that arise from culture and religion and to inform the public about the significance of the exercise.