2006 census figures grossly inaccurate, says Nembe council chairman

The chairman of Nembe Community in Bayelsa State says the figure declared did not represent the exact inhabitants in the area.

The Chairman of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa, Sylva Waribugo, has described the figures declared for the council in the 2006 National Population and Housing Census as grossly inaccurate.

Mr. Waribugo stated this while testifying before the Census Tribunal on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the 130,966 figure declared for the area did not represent the exact inhabitants in the area, adding that some of the communities were omitted during the exercise.

He said 300 communities in the council area were not captured by enumerators during the exercise.

Mr. Waribugo told the court that the council’s population would have been above 200,000 if it had been counted properly.

“The commission during the 1999 census, enumerated the area accurately, but the reverse was the case in the 2006 census,” he said.

He claimed that the NPC’s Form 07 which he described as the vital document for the head count meant for the area, was grossly inadequate.

The Chairman of Tribunal, Abraham Yisa, adjourned the case till March 20.

(NAN)