As preparations continue for the proposed 2016/2017 National Population Census, the National Population Commission (NPC) has given an assurance that the exercise will be beyond reproach.

NPC National Commissioner representing Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Daniel Aliyu Kwali, gave the assurance on Wednesday during the commencement of a month-long state level training of Field Staff for Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in the FCT said fool-proof measures were being incorporated into the exercise to ensure its credibility.

He said: “Today’s event marks another important chapter in the national quest for accurate and reliable demographic date for evidence based planning for sustainable development.

“Considering the fact that 2016/2017 census will be biometric based and will seek to capture the facial impression and finger prints of persons during the census period, any hope of gaining advantage through manipulation of EAD will at best be an illusion that cannot be realised as only persons physically seen will be counted and their biometrics taken.”

Kwali appealed to the traditional institution and communities to support the Commission in carrying out the 2016/2017 Census EAD by allowing unfettered access to facilities and places to be demarcated.”

Declaring the training open, Etsu of Kwali, Dr. Shaban Audu Nizazo, III, pledged on behalf of traditional institution in the FCT to fully support the Federal Government and NPC in ensuring a credible census devoid of rancor.

According to him, national population and housing census is both a godly and religious project and so, everybody living within the FCT would be fully mobilized to maximally support the exercise and ensure its success.

“Whether Muslims or Christians, we are all duty bound to undergo census because religions and God support it.

“It is our duty to mobilise our people to undergo census, I want to assure you that we are going to work hard to mobilise our traditional chiefs to organise our people for the census,” he said.

•Photo shows NPC Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma.