NPC Rounds Off Capacity Building Workshop For Journalists

…Calls For Deeper Partnership, Effective Reporting Of 2023 PHC

By Saviour Ekpe

The National Population Commission, Akwa Ibom State has rounded off a one day capacity building workshop for Journalists in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The workshop with the theme, “Effective Reporting Of The 2023 Population And Housing Census” had media outfits, Journalists and top media professionals in attendance for the purpose of collaboration, synergy and devising ways of effectively covering the 2023 Population And Housing Census in the state.

In his address, the Honourable Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Akwa Ibom State, Chief (Engr.) Benedict Ukpong, FNSE (Okete Okete Oro) said that the one day workshop is for the Commission to interface with Journalists in the state to chart a course leading to the 2023 Population and Housing Census (PHC) in the country, “It provides us with the unique opportunity to proactively engage the Journalists and other critical stakeholders of Akwa Ibom State and also get some positive feedback, invaluable cooperation and contributions so that together we can ensure the successful conduct of a credible, reliable and acceptable Census scheduled to take place from 29th March to 2 April, 2023”.

The Federal Commissioner reiterated the essence of information to any organization whether public or private. He noted that the 2023 PHC requires effective and aggressive publicity to sensitise the populace for effective participation and cooperation, “as we are all aware, no organization can achieve success without constantly passing cogent information to all its stakeholders in a view to securing their cooperation and support. Therefore, for a people-oriented organization like the National Population Commission consistent and effective engagement of the people through aggressive publicity and advocacy is a crucial step it must take in the achievement of its mandate”.

He updated the media professionals on the exercise so far embarked upon by the commission, noted with satisfaction that the 2023 census will give Nigeria more credibility, integrity and reliability figures, “the commission had carried out series of preliminary activities for the 2023 Population and Housing Census in all the 36 States of the federation and the FCT. The first was the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) which involved the division of the entire Country’s land space into smaller units called Enumeration Area (EA) where a set of enumerators can cover and count people within the Census reverence period. The Commission also conducted the first and second pre-tests and the Trial Census where all the instruments and methodology for the forthcoming Census were subjected to credibility, integrity and reliability test and the results of the Trial Census contributed immensely to the current instruments and methodology that will be used during the actual Census”.

“Apart from carrying out the preparatory activities, the leadership of the National Population Commission Akwa Ibom State has on several occasions engaged the PRESS in brainstorming towards the successful conduct of the 2023 Census. Today, it is imperative that we gather in a more elaborate forum to seek collaboration and partnership with the Journalists in the state for effective propagation of Census message and publicity”.

Chief Ukpong used the occasion to extend appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari-GCFR for the approval granted for the conduct of the 2023 and the Chairman of NPC for his timely response and contributions, “let me express my continuous appreciation to His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari-GCFR for his kind approval of the conduct of the first Digital Census in Nigeria. May I also use this medium to appreciate the Digital Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon Isa Kwarra for his tireless contributions and timely response to everything that must be put in place for the success of the forthcoming Census”.

In his welcome speech, the State Director, National Population Commission, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Emmanuel Edem, who explained the aim of the training called for strong collaboration, “Distinguished participants, as you are all aware, communication plays a vital role in any organization as it is the art of passing information from one person to another or from one direction to another. It also interests me to state that no organization can thrive and succeed without building a strong information system and mechanism. It is on this basis that the National Population Commission seeks for the collaboration of various communication outlets in the actualization of a full-scale publicity and advocacy in the 2023 Population and Housing Census. As a State, Akwa Ibom cannot afford to lose out in this area”.

“Therefore, this gathering of great minds of high rational capacities is aimed at creating awareness of Census Preparatory activities such as Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD), Pre-Test, the Trial Census, the main Census and of course the Post Enumeration Survey (PES), facilitate a common and deeper understanding of the principles applied, the strategies adopted and activities to be implemented under the advocacy and publicity components of the 2023 Population and Housing Census; deepen the understanding of Journalists and other media activists; devise regulations and guidelines for the implementation of activities in the Advocacy and Publicity Work Plan in the 2023 Census and also galvanize support of the stakeholders of Akwa Ibom State and the general public through the national Slogan of the 2023 Population and Housing Census which says ‘You Count, Be Counted’”.

Different categories of papers were presented at the capacity workshop. these included: How to Generate Media Content in the 2023 Population and Housing Census by Dr. Udeme Nana; Enumeration Area Demarcation and Digital Maps by Deputy Director, Cartography, NPC, AKS, Mr. Aloysius Nwosu; Technological Innovation in the 2023 PHC by the Head of Technology and ICT, NPC, AKS, Prince Isemin Isemin; Process and Methodology for 2023 PHC by the Deputy Director, Census, NPC, AKS, Mr. Samuel Charlie as well as History of Population Censuses in Nigeria, Structure and Mandate of the National Population Commission by Mr. Idongesit Ekpo of the NPC Akwa Ibom State.

The workshop had an ace media professional, Akparawa Michael Bush as Chairman of the session as Goodwill Messages were presented by the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Pastor Eno Uyoh, represented by Mrs. Iquo Abia, the Director-General of AKBC, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, the General Manager of NTA, (Channel 12 Uyo) Mrs. Alice Ogbe and the Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk.

Special feature of the event was the decoration of the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong; Akparawa Michael Bush and other stakeholders as “Ambassadors of 2023 Census” by the Federal Commissioner, NPC, Chief (Engr) Benedict Ukpong, while a patriotism Award  by a foremost Socio-Cultural Organization in  the state, the Oro  Union was presented to the Honourable Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Akwa Ibom State, Chief (Engr.) Benedict Ukpong.