Population data: Gov. Otu to partner NPC on demographic, vital statistics in Cross River

By Ene Ene, Calabar

The Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu has expressed his administration’s preparedness to partner with the National Population Commission (NPC) to get proper demographic data and other vital state statistics.

Otu who made this known while receiving the Federal Commissioner for Cross River in the National Population Commission, Alex Ukam, in his office on a courtesy call, stated that demographics, as well as annual statistics, are critical to leadership service delivery.

“Demographics are critical. There are the bases and sine qua nons without which we cannot serve society in this modern time.

“In Cross River, we are ready to partner with you (NPC) to make sure that you upscale your activities, perform optimally, and give us a near-accurate census,” he said.

Otu also used the event to congratulate Alex Ukam, on his well-deserved appointment as Federal Commissioner representing Cross River in the NPC, expressed trust in the Biase-born politician’s capacity to deliver on the task before him.

He assured the NPC delegation of the state government’s support in providing a conducive office environment and mobility to aid them in delivering on their mandate.

On niggling boundaries and land disputes hampering accessibility of NPC officials in generating important data in affected communities, Otu said, together with security agencies, the state is not resting in its oars to bringing lasting solutions to those challenges.

He also assured the team that, ahead of the upcoming digital census, the government will put heads together at the state executive council level to see the success of the exercise in the state.

Earlier in his remarks, the Federal Commissioner representing the state in the National Population Commission, Alex Ukam, appreciated the Governor for his dedicated service to Cross River and his relentless effort towards restoring the hope of the state.

Ukam averred that the NPC, established by Decree No. 23 of 1999 in ambition 153 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, is a pivotal institution saddled with the responsibility of enumeration and demarcation, civil/birth registration, vital statistics, survey data, and p, population management.

Speaking further, he outlined the importance of NPC to include providing facilities, infrastructure, and amenities to communities based on population size, supplying information on fertility and mortality rates, and identifying children with their rights and inheritance, among others.

He also mentioned challenges faced by the office in the state, including inaccessibility of certain areas due to boundary disputes, inadequate human resources, logistics, lack of electronic gadgets and storage devices, retrieval and means of analyzing, mobility, and a conducive working environment, among others.