World Population Day 2025:Tinubu Deserves Commendation for Digital Population Census Initiative - Ogun NPC Director
"His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) truly deserves to be commended for insisting that facial capturing and fingerprints/biometrics are deployed in the conduct of Nigeria’s Census marks an unprecedented initiative in the history of population census in the country" Says Dr.Adenuga who noted that insecurity and criminality can be curbed in Nigeria as it is done in advanced countries given the initiative.
By: Dare Adebesin, Israel Adeleke
On the auspicious occasion of the commemoration of the World Population Day 2025, the Ogun State Director of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr Adenuga Olayinka, has affirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu truly deserves to be commended for the Digital Population Census initiative given the promises the initiative holds for the country's development.
Dr. Adenuga made this known while featuring as a guest on DEVELOPMENT TODAY, a flagship, SDG-commemorative programme on MAPOLY 99. 7 FM Ojere Abeokuta on Friday.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News exclusively reports that the NPC State Director, who gave the commendations while fielding questions from Olufemi Orunsola, the host of DEVELOPMENT TODAY on the campus Radio station of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta, openly commended President Tinubu.
According to Dr.Adenuga, "His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu trupy deserves to be commended for insisting that facial capturing and fingerprints/biometrics are deployed in the conduct of Nigeria’s Census marks an unprecedented initiative in the history of population census in the country, noting that problems of insecurity and criminality confronting the country could be easily solved via the digitally captured database of individuals in the country.
He explained that the Digital Census, previously put on hold by the past government, has been envisioned by Tinubu to entail the use of modern sophisticated technological application known as Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) for capturing all Enumeration Areas (EA) that are geo-fenced with direct operational linkage to stream the data to the server using CS PRO Applications.
He further explained that the initiative programmed to run with adequate synergy between the NPC, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Independent Electoral Commision (INEC), Nigeria will be able to capture an accurate population database that gives room for proper planning and reliable geo-special database of Nigerians.
Dr. Adenuga also described the significance of the theme for World Population Day 2025, which focuses on the youth as timely, highlighting that about 78% of Nigeria’s population are actually young people between the ages of 0 to 15 (41%) and young adults within the productive ages of 16 and above but less than 60 years (37%).
He further stressed that on a global scale, today's world has the largest youth generation ever, noting that the youths are not only shaping our future; they are demanding one that is just, inclusive, and sustainable, to which we all must subscribe.
Quoting the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutterres, he said, it is time to prioritize, "Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world."
However, In a significant twist contrary to generally believed notion in social circles in Nigeria that there are far too many females than males in Nigeria, the Ogun NPC Director dispelled the commonly held notion, revealing that since the 1991 Census, in which he was actively in its conduct, Nigeria has developed a consistent pattern of having slightly more males than females in the gender demography of her population.
Citing indexes deployed to rate a country's population such as: birth rate, death rate, fertility rate, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, among others, Dr Adenuga said that Nigerian leaders should make more policies that will drive the development of the youth population in line with the 2025 World Population Day youth-centric theme.
In his parting shot, Dr.Adenuga appealed to Nigerian youths to embrace acquisition of digital skills and hands on training to occupy and optimise their rightful place in the scheme of affairs.
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