Gombe State Census Advocacy Committee Takes Sensitisation Campaign To Cham, Dadiya, Tula Chiefdoms
…..Seeks prayers, preaches peaceful conduct
The State Census Advocacy Committee under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau, has on Thursday taken their sensitisation campaign to Cham and Dadiya Chiefdoms in Balanga Local Government Area as well Tula Chiefdom in Kaltungo Local Government Area.
Addressing the Paramount Rulers and some critical stakeholders in their palaces the Deputy Governor, stressed that the importance of conducting census cannot be overemphasised in any given society.
He explained, ” life is all about planning, and planning can only be possible when you know the number of the people you are planning for. Government at all levels, organizations and households need figures to be able to plan effectively, and achieve their desired goals.
“Even though census is not a new thing but, because we have not been doing it constantly, within the timeframe of ten years, we are finding it as a new thing. And because we are finding it very new, it has become very necessary for us as Committee Members to embark on this sensitization visits.
“Now that the Federal Government has embarked on conducting the exercise we should give them the necessary backing for the exercise to be successful for our best interest.”
“The census, if conducted successfully, would help the United Nations, African Union, Federal Government, State Government, and the Local Governments to know their population and be able to plan well towards meeting their needs.
“Let me also inform you that, conducting of census is not demarcation of boundaries. It is to help us know the number of people living in the state. We have taken cognizance of places where we are having boundary problems. Those places will be counted but, not under any of the areas in dispute just to be sure no one is left out. When the issues are finally resolved the population will then be added to it’s rightful place. So let’s cooperate and allow the census officials perform their duties unhindered. It is all for our good,” he said.
Jatau charged the local Government Census Committee Members to bring the best of them so that there shall be a reliable and accepted census.
The Deputy Governor appreciated the Traditional Rulers for supporting Government programs and especially for showing uncommon interest in supporting the census exercise.
Also speaking, State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General Hon Zubairu Mohammed Umar, noted with emphasis that having population figures has uncountable advantages which can never be taken for granted.
He said, “Armed with the knowledge of population figures, Government will easily know how much assistance to give to any given society in normal planning processes , during disasters, in other peculiar situations etc. For instance, when there is a flood disaster, and there is need to send in some interventions, Governments use available population data to bring emergency reliefs.
“It is very important to note that, every Government or organization has limited resources which can only be adequately utilized when the targeted population is known. That is to say, provision of infrastructure and amenities are done on the basis of the population of any given area.so also some projects are situated in places depending on the number of the people. All these boils to the fact that Population and Housing Census is necessary for development and we must be ready to do it with all seriousness in Gombe State.”
Umar said the National Population Census is designed to capture the number of houses and the number of people living in them all with a view to knowing development indices and how to bring interventions when the need arise, calling on the Traditional Leaders to ensure their subjects are counted, especially for the fact that the strength of their Chiefdoms are determine by the number of people living in their domains.
Answering questions from the people, The Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Danburam, explained the concept of geo-fencing to mean Enumeration Areas are protected such that, a capture machine has been programmed to capture a particular area and can never work outside that Enumeration Area.
He reiterated the issue of total lock- down for Three days within which the real census shall take place to avoid double counting.
The Nidu Grah Cham Dr James Chachis, while receiving the members of the Committee in his Palace at Cham Balanga Local Government Area, assured them of his total commitment to ensure the census exercise is conducted peacefully and successful.
Chachis sounded a warning to all people living in his Chiefdom, especially residents to ensure they counted in Cham, or not to consider coming back should go and be counted in their places of origin.
In Bambam, Balanga Local Government Area, the Folo Dadiya Alh. Abdulkadir Abubakar Galadima the third, directed his subjects to be ready to comply with the census rules and make provision for the three days of the lock- down so that the exercise will be smooth.
He decried the sad incidence which took place in 2006, praying it does not replicate itself, appealing to the State Government to ensure it does not reoccur.
In Tula, Kaltungo Local Government Area, the Mai Tula, Dr. Abubakar Buba Atare the second, commended the wisdom of the Governor to inaugurate the Census Committee at the right time, assuring of full support to the State and Local Government Committees.
He said, the Tula people know the importance of census and will surely participate fully towards it’s success.
He appealed to the State Government to take proactive security measures to forestall the kind of ugly situation that happened in 2006 between Tula and Dadiya.
The Mai Tula directed the religious leaders in his Chiefdom to pray for peaceful conduct of the census.
Wilson Jonah Yakubu
Press Secretary/ Information,
Deputy Governor’s Office.
