Ahead of the forth coming Census, the National Population Commission (NPC) has inaugurated the Edo State Census Security and Committee to ensure a credible and secured environment for both men and materials to be safe during the exercise.
The Federal Commissioner, National Population, Edo State, Dr. Tony Aiyejina, who inaugurated the Security and Logistics Committee, in Benin City noted that the role of the Committee will be pivotal, critical and strategic towards the successful conduct of the Census in Edo State.
“I have a personal conviction that our gallant security agents will rise up to the occasion and make Edo secure and safe for the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
“In the face of the security challenges currently in the country, I want to salute the gallantry and sacrifices of officers and men of our security services, some of whom have paid the ultimate price.
“Census is a multi-stakeholder engagement and we cannot relegate the importance of security,” he noted.
According to Dr. Aiyejina, who is the Chairman of the Committee, Edo State has a beautiful story to tell because the eighteen local government areas have been demarcated and this was due to the collaboration of the security agents who protected the staff of the commission during the advocacy and demarcation exercise.
While commending all the armed forces, the Federal Commissioner said there is no way the NPC can enumerate without their collaboration, noting that, ” the major concern is what we can do for our country. Let National consciousness be the driving force, it should not be about ethnicity.”
The representative of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, DCP Kunle Olusokan, who responded on-behalf of other members of the Security and Logistics Committee, assured that the security agencies
will do their best to ensure that the Census is peaceful and credible.
The terms of reference for the Edo State Census Security and Logistics Committee include; facilitating the securing of adequate training facilities, transportation and securing of Census personnel and materials, maintaining public peace and order around census activities and personnel, security of National Population Commission Officers, vehicles and equipment, facilitation and provision of transportation and necessary logistics for the enumeration of hard to reach population, riverine areas, mountainous areas, transient population and areas of insecurity and support and provision of any other area related to security and logistics arrangement.
