Former lawmaker Shehu Sani has criticized the National Population Commission (NPC) for requesting nearly a trillion naira to conduct a census, calling the request total madness, as reported by DAILY POST.
The NPC had proposed a budget of N942 billion for the 2024 national housing and population census.
However, reports indicate that President Bola Tinubu rejected the request, instead, he suggested using members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to carry out the exercise.
Shehu Sani, a former senator, reacted to the news on his social media page and argued that the cost of the census should not be so high.
The census, which is meant to gather data on Nigeria’s population and housing situation, has been delayed for years.
Many experts agree that it is necessary to plan for development, however, the high cost of conducting it has been a major concern.
Critics argue that the government should find cheaper alternatives, believing technology can be used to reduce costs.
“National Population Commission request for almost a trillion naira just to count the number of Nigerians is total madness,” he said.
