Economy
Enugu Residents Decry Lack of Adequate Sensitisation for May 3 Census
Residents of Enugu State have said they were not aware of the forthcoming National Population Census in the country, scheduled to hold from May 3 to 8, 2023, across the country.
A cross section of the residents bared their minds in separate interviews with the press on Monday in Enugu.
According to some of the residents, there have not been enough sensitisation on the census.
Mr.
Olu Omotayo, a Civil Rights Lawyer, said he was aware of the exercise, but confirmed that many residents around him were not aware of the census.According to him, the general awareness among the people was very low, adding that the National Population Commision (NPC) may need to do more in the area of awareness and sensitisation.
He said: “For me, I am aware of the forthcoming census exercise but I am not sure if many people around my area are aware.
“It appears many residents of my area are not aware of the census.
“With just few weeks to the commencement of the exercise, I wish relevant authorities should do more, otherwise the Government should start thinking of postponing the census further.”
Omotayo said that people have not yet recovered from the 2023 elections: “so, they are not really ready to be thinking of another government exercise now.
“We know that anything like census is very critical and controversial and holding it just after a controversial national election, a lot of people may not be interested,” Omotayo said.
Also speaking, Mr Steve Ofilli, a current affairs analyst, said the awareness and sensitisation by relevant authorities in charge, was not enough.
“Apart from some of us who are close to the media and have access to reading newspapers, many other residents are not aware of what is happening.
“I think the NPC needs to do more in the area of sensitisation because I am sure these things were budgeted for by the Federal Government.
“National census is a very important exercise. It aids national economic planning and must not be taken lightly,” he said.
Similarly, a trader at Holy Ghost market, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Ene, said she was neither aware nor intereted about the exercise.
Ene said she had decided not to participate in any government programes until she sees the outcome of the Feb. 25, 2023, Elections.
“They should leave us alone. After all the efforts we put in to change Nigeria for good by standing for hours on the sun to vote.
“Our votes did not count; so, how are we sure that our heads will count,” she said.
Mr Mark Okpo, a politician, said he was fully aware of the census exercise.
He, however, said that the government’s plan of scheduling the census on the same year with the national election was improper.
“I am also disturbed about several items omitted on the exercise, including issues like exclusion of tribe and religion.
“I have been doing my best to sensitise my constituents but it appears that since the election, their morale is low.
“Many don’t believe anything good can come out of the census,” he said.
Meanwhile, in reaction, the NPC Federal Commissioner for Enugu State, Mr Ejike Eze, debunked the insinuation of inadequate sensitisation.
He said that the commission had been on radio stations in the state with jingles and adverts, sensitising the residents.
He said the commission had also visited all the 17 Council Areas of Enugu State severally, telling people about the census.
“Even in the course of our demarcation exercise, we engaged stakeholders and also had a series of stakeholders’ engagements with traditional and religious leaders and government functionaries.
“We have excess applicants for census adhoc staff and in some Local Government Areas (LGAs), we have more than 2,000 applicants.
“So, if people are not aware of it, how did these people get to know about adhoc staff engagements,” Eze asked. (NAN)
The Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) continued its bullish trend on Wednesday, gaining N183 billion.
Accordingly, the market capitalisation, which opened at N59.532 trillion, gained N184 billion or 0.31 per cent to close at N59.715 trillion.
The All-Share Index also added 0.31 per cent or 303 points, to settle at 98,509.
68, against 98,206. 97 recorded on Tuesday.Consequently, the Year-To-Date (YTD) return increased to 31.
74 per cent.Gains in Aradel Holdings, Zenith Bank, United Bank For Africa(UBA), Oando Plc, Nigerian Breweries among other advanced equities drove the market performance up.
Market breadth closed positive with 34 gainers and 17 losers.
On the gainers’ chart, Africa Prudential, Conoil and RT Briscoe led by 10 per cent each to close at N14.30, N352 and N2.42 per share, respectively.
Golden Guinea Breweries followed by 9.95 per cent to close at N7.18, while NEM Insurance rose by 9.74 per cent to close at N10.70 per share.
On the other hand, Julius Berger led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent to close at N155.25, Secure Electronic Technology Plc trailed by 9.52 per cent to close at 57k per share.
Multiverse lost 7.63 per cent to close at N5.45, Haldane McCall dropped 6.07 per cent to close at N4.95 and Honeywell Flour shed 5.62 per cent to close at N4.70 per share.
Analysis of the market activities showed trade turnover settled lower relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions down by 49.44 per cent.
A total of 320.10 million shares valued at N6.48 billion were exchanged in 7,943 deals, compared with 939.41 million shares valued at N12.81billion traded in 9,098 deals posted in the previous session.
Meanwhile, ETranzact led the activity chart in volume with 70.27 million shares, while Aradel led in value of deals worth N1.22 billion.(NAN)
The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the Yuan, weakened 22 pips to 7.1870 against the dollar on Monday.This is according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.In China’s spot foreign exchange market, the Yuan is allowed to rise or fall by two per cent from the central parity rate each trading day.
The central parity rate of the Yuan against the dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day. (Xinhua/NAN)
Arewa Youths Initiative for Energy Reforms (AYIFER), has urged Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to do everything possible to bring Kaduna Refinery back into operation.
National Coordinator of the group, Mr Bashir Al’Amin, stated this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.
Al’Amin specifically called on the Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari, to do all within his powers to rejuvenate the refinery and bring it up to global standard.
He said that having delivered the Port Harcourt refinery, coupled with the establishment of Dangote Refinery in Lagos, attention should be shifted to Kaduna refinery for easy spread of petroleum products.
“We are calling on Malam Mele Kyari to expedite action on Kaduna refinery so we can be at par with other regions in the country.
“We equally beg the NNPCL to do professional work in rehabilitating the old refinery and deliver a standard and functional petrochemical refinery and not a blending plant.
“Kyari should resist any temptation that could make him do something that can jeopardise his good image,” he said.
Al’Amin said that since the extinction of groundnut pyramid and textiles in Kano State as well as PAN in Kaduna State and with the Kaduna refinery getting moribund, a lot of youths had lost their jobs.
According to him, all their hopes in the north are tied to the legacy refinery, expressing the hope that God would use Kyari to deliver it well and on time.
He said that the group was solidly behind NNPCL in prayer and would be ready to celebrate the company if its expectations were met. (NAN)
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