The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kaduna State Directorate, on Tuesday emphasised its preparedness to sensitise Nigerians on the upcoming national census and educate voters on election matters.
Zubair Galadima-Soba, the Director, NOA Kaduna, disclosed this in a meeting organised by the agency to brief the 23 Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMOs) on strategies to employ during the sensitisation.
At the meeting which was organised by the NOA in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Population Commission (NPC), Soba said for the first time the census would be digital.
He said that this means that it will increase credibility and go a long way to tackle partisanship by Nigerians.
“We need to strategise on how to mobilise Nigerians to ensure they partake in the population and housing census in April 2023, and ensure that everybody is counted as long as they are residents of the country,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria has been suffering for too long and working with inaccurate data in planning and implementing government’s policies.
The NOA boss said that the 2023 census would ensure accuracy.
He said that NOA is ready to ensure that people are mobilised to know that it is their civic duty and responsibility to ensure they and their households are counted.
The director explained that citizens will be educated on elections procedure such as knowing the political parties and their symbols, and knowing how to vote to avoid invalid votes.
He added that strategies would be put in place in order to educate Nigerians, especially youths, to be careful not to perpetrate violence during the elections processes.
“That is why we must get ready and strengthen our COMOs to educate the youth to abstain totally from partaking in violence and to refuse to be employed by unscrupulous politicians,” he said.
Meanwhile, some COMOs stated that they would employ different strategies to sensitise and enlighten people in their local government areas.
Sim Victor, the COMO for Kaura Local Government Area, said she would embark on an advocacy visit to traditional and religious leaders to sensitise them on the matter as community leaders.
Sa’adatu Abdulrashid, the Kaduna South COMO, said she would organise road walk and sensitise market women on the census and voter education.