The National Population Commission (NPC) on Tuesday enlisted the support of stakeholders for its Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) preparatory to a reliable census.

The NPC Federal Commissioner for Bayelsa State, Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo, who made the appeal during an advocacy and flag-off ceremony for the EAD in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, noted that the EAD was a fundamental step to a reliable census.

She explained that Southern Ijaw would be the sixth LGA to be covered by the EAD haven earlier demarcated five LGAs in Bayelsa, namely Yenagoa, Ogbia, Kolokumo-Opokuma, Nembe and Brass.

“Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) is the delineation of a Local Government Area into Enumeration Areas (EAs); areas small enough for a pair of enumerators to cover during the Population and Housing Census.

“The EAD exercise is not the enumeration of persons living in the country and its outcome is in no way the determinant of the population of any locality, Local Government Area (LGA) or state.

“It is rather a major preparatory activity for Population and Housing Censuses that facilitates the estimation of both the human and material resources required for the census.

“Indeed, EAD is the vehicle that drives the entire census process and the success of a credible and accurate census depends very much on the quality and reliability of the EAD. Also it is the foundation for the census.

“EAD creates the national sample frame for the country which is used by all MDAs, data collecting organisations and research institutions,” Izonfuo said.

She said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for instance, would work with the NPC during the EAD exercise to create digitised maps of INEC Registration Areas (Wards).

Also, she said that international agencies such as the IMF and the World Bank utilize the frame to measure and determine the economic and financial performance of the country.

She listed other benefits from the EAD include up-to-date list of households, buildings, socio-economic infrastructural facilities and their geo-referenced distribution across localities, wards, LGAs and states.

According to Izonfuo, information from these outputs are useful for development planning and efficient distribution of infrastructural facilities and provision of socio-economic services.

She also said that household distribution data from the EAD exercise can be used to ameliorate the adverse effects of the ravaging COVID-19 Pandemic by providing for a more systematic contact tracing and distribution of palliatives.

She noted that the NPC was deploying the latest technology in the preparation for the next population and housing census in the use of high resolution satellite imagery and geoinformatics.

“The NPC, in its resolve to deliver to the country a Population and Housing Census that will stand the test of time, is deploying the latest technology for this EAD exercise.

“Including the use of very high-resolution satellite imageries as the base map, the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) for geo-referencing and the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for data management.

“Also, Personal Data Assistants handheld devices/tablets that include a computer software for population estimation are being used for data capture.

“Training of enumerators on the use of these technologies would commence after this flag off ceremony,” Izonfuo said.

In his response, Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA, Chief Kia Ebidoughebofa, assured NPC of his council’s readiness to cooperate and work with them.

The chairman also stated that Southern Ijaw is very safe and Council will give all necessary support needed to make the exercise succeed in all 17 wards and communities in Southern Ijaw.

The chairman, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Mr Perkins Ogede, also pledged that all councillors would be on ground for the exercise in their various wards to give NPC all necessary assistance in this important project of the federal government.

Traditional rulers, representatives of youths and women groups from the 17 wards in Southern Ijaw LGA participated at the advocacy event held at the local government headquarters at Oproma.

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