Boko Haram: NPC boss keeps mum on conduct of census in N/East

• Slashes census budget from N240bn to N100bn As the federal gov­ernment gears up to conduct the much anticipated 2016 national census, chair­man of the National Popu­lation Commission (NPC), Chief Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), yesterday refused to disclose whether the in­security in some parts of the country will affect the conduct of the exercise in some North-East states. “We are so positive in our thoughts. When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. We believe that by 2016, the issue of insecurity will be minimised,” Duruiheoma explained concerning the conduct of census in some North-Eastern states. Chief Duruiheoma who addressed his first media conference since he took over the management of the troubled commission, how­ever affirmed that NPC un­der his leadership, will not succumb to the biting inse­curity in the country. He said the census can­not be suspended because of the security concerns. He said calling off the conduct of the census will mean sur­rendering to the insurgents. He added that the insecurity is not enough to put the de­velopment of the country on hold. He said: “We cannot sus­pend the census because of the security concerns. That is not enough to put develop­ment on hold. Not holding the census in 2016, does that not mean that we are surren­dering to them? “The commission is not unmindful of concerns that have been expressed in cer­tain quarters that the current developments in our polity are not conducive to the con­duct of the national census in 2016 and the sentiments that the conduct of the census should be put on hold until such a time when the situa­tion is conductive.” Speaking on the reviewed expenditure the conduct of the exercise will cost, Durui­heoma gave a rough estimate of N100 billion, a reduc­tion of N140 billion from the from figure given by his predecessor, Chief Festus Odimegwu. “The exact cost of 2016 census is being worked out. But the cost will not be too much for the country to bear. A cost of about N100 billion will be realistic. Nothing about what will be or will not be done about the census has been finalised. Ours is to carry out the wishes of Nige­rians. As soon as we get the to ahead, Nigerians will be carried along.” Duruiheoma also revealed that the contentious issue of religion might be incorpo­rated into the questionnaire in 2016 during the census. He hinted that the wishes of Nigerians will eventually determine the direction of the commission.