The National Population Commission(NPC) has clarified that the census questionnaire has no column for religion and ethnicity.
The commission made the clarification on Friday in Kano when the National Publicity Committee on the 2023 Population and Housing Census paid an advocacy visit to Nigerian Television Authority, Kano.
It was gathered that the visit was led by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Chairman of the committee and Minister of Information and Culture, represented by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari.
According to a member of the committee, Dr Isiaka Yahaya, said the commission was not interested in such data that Nigerians would be asked questions on their faith and ethnic affiliation.
Yahaya, who is also the commission’s Director of Public Affairs, maintained that issues of religion and ethnicity being peddled on social media were mere distractions and without foundation.
He added that since 1991 when the National Population Commission has been conducting census, they have never asked questions on ethnicity and religion.
Similarly, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, urged Nigerians not to see the census as a contest among ethnic groups.
He said the census was only for planning purposes and not to confer advantage on any group.
