Key highlights:
- The ICT component contract was awarded N10.9 billion.
- Another contract that was approved by the National Population Commission was the contract for the development and implementation of a mobile device management solution for the personal digital assistance device
- Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, had said that a total of N869 billion ($1.88 billion) would be required for the exercise.
The Nigerian Government has approved the sum of N15.3 billion for the supply and installation of information and communication technology (ICT) devices for the 2023 population census.
The approval came during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, through the approval of 2 contracts.
This was disclosed by the media aide to the Presidency, Garba Shehu after the Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Contracts
Shehu noted that the FEC okayed today the award of the contract for the supply and installation of information and communication technology (ICT) components for the 2023 population census, he added:
- ”This is for the National Population Commission (NPC). It is meant for the census. The ICT component contract was awarded for about N10.9 billion.
- “Another contract that was approved for the National Population Commission was the contract for the development and implementation of mobile device management solution for the personal digital assistance devices to be used for the 2023 population census.
- ”This is in the sum of about N4.4 billion.”
Other contracts
The media official added that the FEC also approved the contract for the development of external cost of infrastructure at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) new training academy at N3.3 billion and N1billion was equally approved for the contract for the procurement of 19 vehicles for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
He added the council-approved policy on HIV/AIDS to protect people living with the disease and new regulations on the woodworking ecosystem, saying:
- “Government has revised regulations pertaining to woodworking machinery and the entire ecosystem which dated back to 1959.
- ”New regulations have been put in place as empowered by the law.
- “And by this approval, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will domicile and gazette these changes that have been approved.
- “His other approval is on policy on HIV/AIDS. Basically, this is to guarantee personal human rights over people with HIV in workplaces so that they are not discriminated against and are given equal rights.
”They are not discriminated against and they are given all that is due to them. And they are respected, especially with regards to their personal and human rights,” he said.
World Bank
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, revealed that the Federal Government had secured a World Bank facility worth $800 million dollars, which she says would be used to support the post-petroleum subsidy palliatives requirement in the country.
- “When we were working on the 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Appropriation Act, we made that provision to enable us to exit fuel subsidy by June 2023.
- ”We’re on course, we’re having different stakeholders’ engagements, and we’ve secured some funding from the World Bank.
- “That is the first tranche of palliatives that will enable us to give cash transfers to the most vulnerable in our society that have now been registered in a national social register.
- “Today that register has a list of 10 million households. 10 million households are equivalent to about 50 million Nigerians.”
Backstory
BudgIT, one of Nigeria’s civic organisations, called on the National Population Commission to publish the breakdown of the N896 billion 2023 National Population Census budget.
In a statement made available to Nairametrics, they revealed the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, had said that a total of N869 billion ($1.88 billion) would be required for the exercise. This figure includes post-census activities.
According to the Minister, N626 billion ($1.36 billion) will be used for the census at $6 per citizen, and N243 billion ($527 million) will be used for post-census activities up to 2025.
Need for accountability
The organisation noted that while the census exercise is crucial for planning a progressive and sustainable development, which is not limited to knowing the revenue estimation, economic needs, unemployment level, living standard and policies, there is a need for the commission to provide details of its budget, to ensure public transparency and accountability.