The federal government has shifted the 2023 population and housing census earlier scheduled for March 29.

The minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday after the federal executive council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa. According to him, the exercise will now hold in May. He also announced that the Council approved the sum of N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC) to procure some software to be used for the conduct of the census.

He said, “There was a memo presented by the National Population Commission, seeking some software to allow them conduct the census in May this year. I believe because of the rescheduling of the elections, they cannot commence the census as scheduled. They sought Council’s approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8 billion”. Mohammed also disclosed that FEC approved the sum of N15 billion for the construction of an access road linking the Benin-Asaba expressway to the 2nd Niger Bridge. He said completion of the road will help achieve the dream of inaugurating the bridge before the current administration leaves office in May.

“The contract was awarded to Julius Berge at a sum of N15 billion. They have started the work but they said it is only proper that they have a contract. We can assure you that the road will be finished in good time for us to commission the 2nd Niger Bridge,” he said.

Mohammed also disclosed that the Council approved the sum of N16 billion as augmentation for the dualization of the Suleja-Minna road in Niger State. Meanwhile, the minister of state for budget and national planning, Clem Agba, said the federal government had yet to harmonize templates with the states on palliatives to cushion the harsh effects of subsidy removal on Nigerians.

He, however, said the concerned committees would soon conclude discussions with key stakeholders as the administration concludes its tenure in the coming weeks.