The Save Nigeria Movement SNM has described as highly insensitive, unreasonable and antithetical to Nigeria’s development, the call by the Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom for the postponement of the forthcoming national population and housing census.
Ortom had last week noted that a large number of Benue people were still in the Internally Displaced Persons IDP camps and may not eligible to participate in the exercise because they are not in their localities. He therefore called for a postponement of the exercise scheduled to commence May 3.
SNM Convener, Solomon Semaka in a statement said as the country struggles through an election season in which those who lost are desperately trying to sow seeds of discord, it is important for Civil Society Organisations to speak up in defense of truth.
He said; “Of particular concern to us and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians is the attempt by Governor Ortom to constantly attack, criticize and vilify every Federal Government policy as a way of gaining cheap popularity in the face of blatant inability to perform his constitutional duties to the people of Benue who voted him into power about eight years ago.
“Benue State with four Universities and more than five other institutions of higher learning stands to benefit more from this Census exercise more than any State. The pool of graduates churned out of these institutions and the need to establish industries to cater for the employment needs of the state through the abundant agro-allied and natural raw materials are just some few benefits of a Census to Benue indigenes and Nigerians at large.
“The fact that job creation, industrial and social development and education are the direct benefits of a census exercise is lost on Ortom who uses every opportunity to attack, ridicule and castigate the Federal Government is quite unfortunate.
“Clearly, the fact that Gov Ortom does not see the need to support the Federal Government to successfully conduct the 2023 Census is wrong of him as a leader.
“Earlier in January, some governors commended the Federal Government and the National Population Commission for their efforts at organizing the first digital census which will provide credible and valuable data for development planning in Nigeria.
“It will be plausible to say Gov. Ortom failed because he had no data on the needs of Benue people and certainly does not value data and hence, his attack on the only project that can transform Nigeria through data-driven and sustainable development.
“As critical stakeholders in the Benue and Nigerian project, we appeal to Governor Ortom to separate politics from issues of national interest. Census has nothing to do with his anti-Fulani sentiments and innuendos and twisted narratives. Hiding under the banner of insecurity to call for the postponement of a project that os about to kick off is callous. If insecurity did not stop elections then it cannot stop the 2023 Census.
“It is enough that Benue is an opposition state. Adding the burden of setting the state against the Federal Government will not bring development to the state neither will it sort the huge debt profile incurred over the years.
“We encourage Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to be challenged by the patriotic and selfless support the National Population Commission NPC has enjoyed from other state governors across the nation. Those state governors have demonstrated capacity, maturity and understanding in supporting the Commission without any political undertone. It is not late for Ortom to have a rethink and change his position as it relates to this year’s Census exercise. As a State governor, he can be in the forefront, advocating for a successful Census using political, religious and traditional institutions in the state.
“Regardless of the disposition of Governor Ortom and his co-travellers, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to massively drum support for the forthcoming Census. The role of religious and traditional institutions in almost every community in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. It is our hope that they will use their platforms as avenues for raising awareness and advocacy towards the success of the Census. The failure of this year’s Census will be our failure and the success of the exercise will equally be our success as a nation. Let us all choose to be on the positive side of history”, he added. (Vanguard)
