Shehu Sani denounces N942 billion census request, says it is ‘total madness’
Former federal lawmaker Shehu Sani has strongly denounced the National Population Commission (NPC) for requesting N942 billion to conduct this year’s national housing and population census, describing the demand as “total madness.”
Reports indicate that President Bola Tinubu has rejected the massive budget proposal, instead considering the use of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to carry out the census.
Reacting on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Sani praised Tinubu for dismissing the request.
“National Population Commission’s request for almost a trillion naira just to count the number of Nigerians is total madness. The rejection of their budget is commendable,” he wrote on his verified page.
The NPC’s budget proposal has sparked widespread debate, with critics questioning the rationale behind such an exorbitant amount for a census. Many argue that the funds could be better utilized to address pressing national issues such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, the federal government’s alternative plan of deploying NYSC members for the exercise remains under discussion, with analysts weighing its feasibility and cost-effectiveness.
