Business
Why we won’t render financial assistance to Nigeria for Census – US Government reveals
The United States Government on Tuesday in Abuja ruled out any financial assistance for Nigeria to conduct its nationwide census whose preparation had been dogged by shortage of funds.
Although the population census had been shifted to 2017, feelers from the National Population Commission, indicated that it may not hold because President Muhammadu Buhari had yet to make a proclamation on it.
The American government specifically told Nigeria that it would not fund the exercise because “it is not somebody else’s census, it is your census.”
The Office Director, Health Population and Nutrition Office, United States Agency for International Development, Dr. Nancy Lowenthal, ruled out financial assistance in an interview with The PUNCH, during the opening ceremony of a training workshop for the members of staff of the NPC on the 2017 population and housing census organised by the United States Census Bureau with support from USAID.
She said, “It is important to stress that the United States government does not fund the census of another country. But what Nigerian government can do is to collaborate with USAID, the USCB and other US agencies that can help to provide a strong technical assistance to develop the best possible, credible and accurate census.
“It is very important for the Nigerian government at all levels to recognise what a census does. It is a demographic information about your country: how many men, how many women, and how many children are in Nigeria. There are also information about household income and other aspects of demography in a census. Without a credible census in every single community, you cannot have a data. This is fundamental to governing your country. It is, therefore, fundamental to government to find the resources to finance its census.
“It is important for any government to be able to fund its census because without it, you will not be able to do other components. It is not apportioning the Federal Government with funding, this is real planning; the commissioners should know the type of vaccine coverage and how many children are out there. It is not somebody else’s census but the census of the government of Nigeria as represented by Mr. President through the chairman of the NPC down thorough all the structures in the federal, states, local governments and rural levels and it is your census.”
The Chairman of the NPC, Chief Eze DuruIheoma (SAN), had last year, during a press briefing in commemoration of the 2015 World Population Day with the theme, “Vulnerable population in emergencies,” hinted that the population census earlier scheduled for this year would not take place due to poor budgetary allocation.
Although the exercise had, however, been scheduled for 2017, DuruIheoma, when asked about the actual date for the 2017 census said, “The President has not made any proclamation and, as such, nobody can tell the date and time for the census.”
Justifying the reasons why the 2016 census would not hold, the NPC chairman had told journalists that if, indeed, Nigerians wanted the 2016 national census, they must demand it just like they did during the recently concluded general election.
Prof Lawan Bala Buratai Appointed Vice Chancellor of Nigerian Army University Biu After Rigorous Selection
In a significant leadership transition at one of Nigeria’s foremost military-civilian academic institutions, Professor Lawan Bala Buratai has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB).
The appointment was announced following an intensive and merit-based selection process conducted by the Governing Council of NAUB at the Armed Forces Officers Mess and Suites, Asokoro, Abuja. The Council, under the chairmanship of Dr. Awwal Moriki, concluded its deliberations and formally presented the letter of appointment to Prof Buratai in a brief but momentous ceremony.
Dr. Moriki, while congratulating the new helmsman, described the selection as the culmination of a transparent and rigorous process aimed at identifying a visionary academic leader who embodies the university’s core values of excellence, discipline, and innovation.
With this appointment, Prof Buratai succeeds Professor Kyari Mohammed, whose single five-year tenure is widely credited with laying a strong foundation for the university’s academic and structural growth.
The Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) was established in 2018 as a unique public institution owned by the Nigerian Army and designed to serve both military personnel and civilians. Located in Biu, Borno State, the university was conceived as a strategic response to the security and developmental challenges facing Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.
NAUB is focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, defense studies, and technology-driven research. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in diverse fields ranging from engineering and environmental sciences to social sciences, computing, and military history.
What sets NAUB apart is its civil-military partnership model, which aims to foster mutual understanding and collaboration between Nigeria’s armed forces and the general populace. The university plays a key role in developing indigenous solutions to security challenges while also contributing to national capacity building and economic resilience through education.
With increasing national and international recognition, NAUB continues to attract scholars and partnerships across Africa and beyond, committed to transforming it into a world-class institution in security and development research.
Professor Lawan Buratai, a respected scholar and administrator, is expected to lead the university into its next chapter—deepening academic standards, expanding infrastructure, and strengthening NAUB’s role in national transformation.
His appointment signals a continuity of vision with a renewed focus on excellence, innovation, and service to the nation.
-
Business6 months agoComprehensive Media Audit Shows Flutterwave, MTN Nigeria, and Bolt Outpacing Competitors in Media Engagement
-
celebrity radar - gossips6 months agoHow Deji Adeyanju Secured The Release Of Speed Darlington
-
Politics6 months agoMy best is yet to come’ As Ambassador Adesina ‘Lanre Ogunsola affirmed at the APC APEX body, Obafemi Owode Local Government
-
Entertainment4 months agoAliu Gafar delivers stellar performance as Esusu in Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors
You must be logged in to post a comment Login