By Our Correspodent
Participants in the ongoing training of ad-hoc staff of the National Population Commission ahead of the 2023 National Population Census groan over non-payment of their allowances as the exercise enters the sixth day.
A survey carried out by our correspodent in Enugu and Delta states shows that participants, mainly facilitators, coordinators, enumerators, etc, had expected the first tranche of their allowances earlier than now.
Some of them training at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, who spoke to our correspodent on condition of anonymity said, “The situation in the country is critical. Some of us came from outside Enugu metropolis. We stay at hotels. We had expected that by now, the first tranche would have been paid to augment our suffering. They keep telling us to fill one form and another. It is dampening our morale.”
A nursing mother who is also participating said, “We are staying in my uncle’s house. It would have been impossible to continue with the exercise. I don’t even know how much we’ll be paid. It is all about signing names and so.
“I am getting tired. My baby is also suffering, but I hope all will not be in vain.”
In Asaba, the capital of Delta State, the situation is still the same. A participant, Othniel Eze, said, “I trained for three days before the ongoing ten days’ exercise for facilitators. We are yet to be paid. It is horrible under these economic realities in the country.
“I had to drop out because of family demands. I submitted my account details for over seven times, but no alert yet.”
An NPC official, who does not want to be mentioned, said, “Direct your questions to our headquarters in Abuja. We don’t know about accounts. But I can assure you that nobody will be owed a dime. Our focus is on having credible census exercise.”
Our correspodent reports that the 2023 national population census will hold from March 28 to April 2nd, 2023. The ongoing training began on 27 January, to end on 5th February, 2023.
