By Mohammed Munirat Nasir (Zamfara State Correspondent)
The National Population Commission (NPC) has began in Zamfara state it's first pre-test for the next population and housing census exercise in the country.
This was disclosed by the NPC Federal Commissioner in charge of Zamfara state, Alhaji Muhammad Muttaka Rini, during a press briefing in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital.
Rini said the Pre-test exercise is usually conducted before the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) exercise.
"In essence, the Pre-test exercise is a critical part of the census planning process which provides the opportunity to test all aspects of the census program and instruments in advance of the main census activities, thus ensuring smooth operation and success of the census," he said.
The federal commissioner said the first Pre-test exercise will take place in four local government areas of Zamfara state namely Bakura, Bungudu, Gusau and Shinkafi that were among 222 Enumeration Areas (EAs) in 112 local government areas that were demarcated during the 2016-2018 EAD exercise.
"In Zamfara state the total numbers of field functionaries are 17 comprising of one state coordinator, one field coordinator, one GIS, one ICT, one supervisor and 12 enumerators," he said.
Rini called on the respondents in the four local government areas to give maximum cooperation to the NPC officials by answering all questions truthfully as all information will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
"I wish to appeal to the local government councils, our respected traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders and the state government to support the commission in this noble endeavor," he said.
The federal commissioner added that the objectives of the Pre-test include quality and usefulness of the EA maps already created, demographic and geographic changes that have occurred in the EAs created in 2016-2018 and their implications for census enumeration.
Rini later led the management of the Zamfara state office to sone of the EAs in Gusau metropolis to access the ongoing first Pre-test exercise. NNL.
