Fashola who spoke at the launch of three books entitled,’ The Great Leap: Speeches Of Governor Babatunde Fashola,’ In Bold Print: Thoughts of Babatunde Fashola,’ and ‘The Lagos Blow Down,’ compiled and edited by his former Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello and Mr. Dapo Adeniyi in Lagos, said manipulating census figures is impeding the nation’s economic growth.
His words: “Given the people that we are, and from the people who did our first census now owing up that figures were falsified, the onus is on us to get it right in 2016.
“I say this, because data, in my view, is important. If the work of government is to provide services to people, its efficiency will be determined by its knowledge of how many people need service. And therefore, without accurate census figures, it may seem that we are not determined to go on the path of development.post by expdonaloaded.blogspot.com...
“The numbers have changed from 160 million to 170 million and sometimes we now hear of 180 million. But I recalled that during the last census in 2006, we worked with the National Population Commission (NPC). When they returned a number of over nine million, it was clear that it has become, Fela’s words, ‘government magic’.
“Because I recalled very clearly that for 11 nights and 11days, we did not sleep. It was my office as the then Chief of Staff that led, including all the local government chairmen. And the population commission told us that they were going to enumerate households and the definition of a household is one family; of husband, wife and children.
“At the end of the exercise, we enumerated 4.5 million households in Lagos. Yet, they returned with only nine million as Lagos population. It meant that all households “in Lagos have only husband and wife, and no children.
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