The National Population Commission has asked workers deployed for enumeration area demarcation exercise in some parts of Anambra State to proceed to their duty posts without any fear of molestation.
The NPC Federal Commissioner in the state, Chidi Ezeoke, stated this on Monday while declaring open a three-day training for supervisors and demarcators engaged for the exercise in the state.
While stating that security arrangements had been put in place for a hitch-free exercise, the commissioner allayed fears of any danger, assuring the workers of maximum security.
He asked them not to be dissuaded by the threats of the Indigenous People of Biafra and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra who had warned against conducting such exercise in Biafraland.
He said, “The pro-Biafran groups are our brothers and sisters. I believe they won’t want to hurt their brothers and sisters.
“It won’t be right to disclose our security arrangements, but I can assure you that the security will not be to fight anybody, but to collaborate with them.”
He asked the workers to take the exercise seriously to guarantee its success.
He described the 21-day exercise as critical element that would constitute the foundation of the main census.
He added, “This job is a critical national assignment and must be given all the seriousness it deserves.
“You must consider yourselves lucky to be engaged to work for Nigeria, and you can’t afford to fail the nation.
“If you make any mistakes, the output will be faulty and you’ll have yourselves to blame.
“We’ll therefore not hesitate to kick out anyone who makes mistakes in the course of the job.”
He said five local government areas of the state had been demarcated, expressing hope that the remaining local governments would be covered in record time.
He implored the leadership of the host communities to make the environment conducive for the officers to ensure they put in their best to the assignment.
“Allow the demarcators carry out their duties professionally as well as give them unfettered access to facilities and places to be demarcated,” the NPC boss stated.