By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
The Executive Chairman of the National Populations Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa Kwarra has identified the media as an important tool in the 2022 census.
Kwarra, stated this on Thursday, in Karu, Nassarawa state, during a retreat on media/public relations and public speaking techniques for chairman and federal commissioners of the NPC.
“The media constitutes an important pillar of support for the success of the 2022 Census.
“As you are all aware, census is a people centered activity as the active participation of the populace is required at every stage of the census process. The support of the media is required in informing the people and soliciting their support for the census. Building the
capacity of the top functionaries of the Commission to effectively engage the media is therefore a major step in the right direction.
“Accordingly, the aim of the retreat is to strengthen the commitment and capacity of participants to productively engage the media and relevant stakeholders in relation to the 2022 Census.
The specific objectives of the retreat are as follows; To acquaint participants with the importance of media/public relations and how they could apply the tools to achieve specific objectives. To sensitize participants on the strategies and techniques to be adopted in media
and public relations engagement for the 2022 Census. To develop common understanding on approaches and contents of media
engagements for the 2022 Census and;
Improve the capacity of participants in the deployment of social media in support of
the 2022 Census.”
He said the retreat couldn’t have come at a better time as the Chairman and Federal
Commissioners have begun advocacy tours to key critical stakeholders in preparation for the next census.
He said that the strategy is not only to get the people involved in the next census
exercise but to believe in it.
“Constant dissemination of the right and timely information and effective engagement of stakeholders through advocacy constitute an integral and indispensable component of population intervention activities. The field of communication strategies are changing and advancing rapidly. We are in an era of digital communication and high-tech social networking and the Commission must move with the tide by adopting a digital approacn to
publicity and sensitization of the public on its activities.
Speaking earlier, Acting Chairman, Public Affairs Committee of the NPC, Prof. Uba Nnabue, said census is a people exercise, “therefore getting the people involved to
participate and own it is paramount to its overall success.
“It is in realization of this that constant advocacy, public relations and engagement of stakeholders with the right and timely information constitute an integral and indispensable component of the 2022 census strategy.
“Therefore, the mobilization of critical
stakeholders to support and take
ownership of the process to achieve the desired outcome is imperative and
it hinges absolutely on our ability to speak to the populace especially
stakeholders in the language that conveys appropriate messages that will
galvanize and mobilize the people to participate in the 2022 census.”
