The National Population Commission says it will commence a test run of the 2018 head count from February 20.
Giving insight to this exercise in Port Harcourt, a Federal Commissioner with the National Population Commission in charge of Rivers State Enumeration, Rev Donald Charles Wokoma, stated that the National census exercise proposed to hold in the first quarter of 2018 will be biometric based.
His words ” on the commencement of the field work for the third phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation in Omuma Local Government Area in Rivers State for the 2018 population and housing census.
“The briefing is one of the key activities as preparation for the 2018 population and housing census. Once we have been able to demarcate the whole country, 50 to 60% of preparatory work is done for the census.
“The purpose is to inform the media of the plan to carry out the third phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) . Enumeration Area Demarcation which will commence 20th February.
He explained that a biometric based census will give credibility to the exercise.
“Considering the fact that the 2018 Census will be biometric based and will seek to capture the facial impression and finger prints of persons during the census period, any hope of gaining advantage manipulation of EAD will at best be an illusion that cannot be realised as only persons physically seen will be counted and their biometrics taken.”
