By Pamela Eboh
The National Population Commission (NPC), will be kicking off its trial census in Anambra Srate today, (Wednesday, July 13, 2022) in Anambra State.
Areas designated for the exercise include, Alor, Awka-etiti, Akwuukwu, Oba, Ojoto and Nnobi, all in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.
The Federal Commissioner, representing Anambra State, Mr Chidi Ezeoke who briefed journalists to this regard at the Commission’s office in Awka explained that the exercise was another key preparatory activity for the main census slated for April 2023.
He said the commission has trained 1,146 enumerators and local government supervisors to conduct the exercise in the above-mentioned local government areas in the state.
Ezeoke noted that the trial would be conducted in all the 7,718 selected Enumeration Areas across the country to test run suitability and readiness for the actual census in 2023.
“The exercise would avail the commission of opportunity to test all aspects of census operations, from planning to implementation, logistics arrangement and management, questionnaire design and format, training procedures, fieldwork operations, publicity, payment system, data processing, data tabulation and analysis.
“The trial census which is also known as the “census dress rehearsal” is another key preparatory activity for the census. It is a process in which all census operations are tested in a detailed and comprehensive manner.
“This takes place as a matter of best practice about a year before the actual census date, to assess the scenario that may be presented during the main census”, the commissioner added.
According to him, the cooperation and support of the stakeholders and the general public are vital for the successful conduct of the trial census, saying that the Commission under the chairmanship of Honourable Nasir Isa Kwarra, has put in place elaborate arrangements for Advocacy and Publicity
