Over 400 Zamfara Communities Inaccessible For 2023 Census — NPC

The National Population Commission (NPC) has declared over 400 communities in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State inaccessible for the conduct of the forthcoming 2023 population and housing census due to reasons attributed to insecurity.

This was pronounced by the NPC’s Federal Commissioner, Muhammad Muttaka Rini, during stakeholders meeting in Gusau, the state capital, adding that the inaccessible localities were the stronghold of criminals that have been disturbing peace, a situation which affects legitimate businesses across the affected areas. According to him, the affected localities are spread across Anka, Shinkafi, Maradun, Bungudu, Gusau, Tsafe, Kauran Namoda and Zurmi with Maru Local Government Council suffering the most hit with over 400 inaccessible localities, especially around Dansadau, Dan Kurmi, Dan Gulbi, Kanoma, Bingi and Bindin districts.

“The commission has made several efforts to access these localities, which proved abortive and we are afraid, if these localities are not demarcated now they will not be covered during census and that will affect Zamfara State negatively. But this can be remedied if the concerned stakeholders join hands together with the Commission and take necessary and strategic steps,” Rini emphasised.

He further noted that preparations for the conduct of 2023 population and housing census are in top gear and as part of efforts to deliver credible and reliable census, the commission is committed to ensuring that the results of the census are acceptable to Nigerians and the data quality to be generated meets international best standards for planning and developmental purposes.

“In line with the United Nations principles and recommendations for the 2020 rounds of population and housing censuses, the 2023 census will be fully digital as the Commission has deployed technology to conduct the exercise and enhance data quality with a view to achieving accurate and acceptable census; and the Enumer-ation Area Demarcation (EAD) which had started 2015 has to be completed so that no structure or person will be left out across the 14 local government areas of the state,” Rini added.