In lieu of the upcoming census, the stakeholders of the National Population Commission (NPC), have on Thursday paid a visit to the Nigeria factory of an indigenous technology firm, RLG Adulawo, in Ilesa, Osun state as part of their fresh efforts to fully ensure and confirm that next year’s census is conducted, in compliance with the presidential directive on local content, especially in the area of technology.
The team had also made sure that theu toured the various sections of the RLG Adulawo Technology City, Ilesa factory, including some of the Assembly lines, testing centres and workshops sections, where ICT gadgets are being produced.
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The NPC team had also witnessed the live assembly of Set Top Boxes (decoders) for one of the major cable TV providers for the country as well as the factory efforts in local assembly for Nigerian-made electric meters.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, which had in attendance the Federal Commissioners of the National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Darlington Okereke, Dr. Clifford Zirra and Senator Mudashiru Husain, the Director General of the agency, Mr. Tellson Ojegun had revealed the facility tour was to ensure that the agency contracts the best hands to do the job.
Ojegun said: “We are a pacesetter. We are now going to conduct a digitized census for the first time, in the history of Nigeria and the history of Africa, we want to do something very acceptable and of great standard. That is why we want to associate ourselves with people who can give us value, value that would add to our work.
“We have a lot to do in terms of mobilisation, manpower and logistics to do the census next year. That is why we are here to look at what they have. For now, we have what we need but we are discussing and by the time we reach the bridge, we will cross it over. We have started discussion and we pray we get it on time.
“We will also ensure that in line with the presidential directive, we will ensure compliance with standards in making sure that local content is optimised to the best of standards.”
On his part, the RLG Managing Director, Mr. Tosin Ilesanmi assured of RLG’s readiness, capacity and track record to deliver world class devices required to power the coming 2023 census.