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The National Population Commission (NPC) says it has began fieldwork for the third phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) exercise in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State, as part of preparations towards the 2018 Population and Housing Census in the country.
The 3rd Phase of the EAD, which began in Omuma on February 20, 2017 and to last till March 12, 2017, is taking place in 36 other LGAs across the country, with one LGA selected from each of the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Federal commissioner representing Rivers State at the commission, Rev. Wokoma Donald Wokoma, at a press briefing in his office on Wednesday, said the EAD, which is one of the core preparatory activities for the census,, seeks to ensure an effective 2018 census exercise, by dividing the whole land mass of the country into small units (areas) that can be easily covered by a team of enumeration during census.
Wokoma said “the EAD constitutes the foundation on which the entire census architecture stands. It forms the basis for the planning and execution of the census project. In the pre census period, the total number of EAs and its distribution are required for census planning particularly the deployment of personnel, logistics and materials for the pretest, Trial census, the main census and the Post Enumeration Survey. Also, in the post census period, the products of EAD are required for effective dissemination of the census data particularly at the small area level. The EAD is therefore the vehicle that drives the entire census process in the pre census, actual enumeration and post census period.
“It is in recognition of this fact that the commission has adopted a meticulous and gradual approach to the 2018 Census EAD that allows for practical experimentation of the methodology and necessary adjustment in implementation and flexibility,” he said.
Wokoma said that at the end of the EAD Phase 3, the commission would have successfully demarcated 2 LGAs in Rivers State, these being Omuma in the EAD Phase 3, and Eleme LGA captured in the Phase 2 of the EAD. This was held in February of 2016, along with 36 other LGAs across the country (one each from the 36 states including the FCT).
The remaining LGAs in the state, and country, he said, will be covered under subsequent phases of the 2018 census, expected to take place by the first quarter of 2018.
He said the commission is deploying sophisticated technology in carrying out the EAD, adding “that the methodology for the census is designed to achieve full Geographic Information System (GIS) compliance. High resolution satellite imagery will be used to ensure that no area is left not demarcated or no place is duplicated. The methodology being adopted will not allow for the creation of imaginary EAs and any attempt to include non- existent households and buildings in the EAs will be detected through satellite imagery.
“Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) will be used in capturing spatial data and estimate EAs during demarcation. This scientific approach to demarcation will eliminate human elements as the process is capable of detecting human errors and preventing manipulations. The EAD will be professionally undertaken in order to avoid overlapping EAs, oversized EAs, under sized EAs and non-existent EAs.
“Considering the fact that the 2018 Census will be bio-metric based and will seek to capture the facial impression and finger prints of persons during the census period, any hope of gaining advantage through manipulation of EAD will at best be an illusion that cannot be realized as only persons physically seen will be counted and their bio-metrics taken.
“To us at the Commission, the significance of the EAD exercise goes beyond the conduct of the 2018 Census as we plan to establish and maintain a national frame including locality list and house numbering for future censuses and surveys in line with the mandate of the Commission under Section 24 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. It is our expectation that what will be required for future censuses will be updating,” Wokoma said.
He however called on the state government and security agencies to work with the commission towards ensuring a hitch-free exercise.
