A financial expert, Dr Samuel Nzekwe, has urged the Federal Government to conduct population census immediately after COVID-19 pandemic to provide basic data for a future occurrence.
Nzekwe, a former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun, on Sunday.
He noted that conducting a population census was long overdue as the federal government conducted the last one in 2006.
The former ANAN president said that population was required every 10 years to enable the government plan for national development and also assist during the time of crisis.
“Lack of data in the country has made it difficult for the federal government to assist business owners during this COVID-19 pandemic due to inadequate information.
“The problem of the inadequate database also hinders the effective distribution of the federal government’s palliative measures across the country,” Nzekwe said.
He said that over 75 per cent of Nigerian businesses in the informal sector was not captured, thus mitigating against the proper distribution of COVID-19 palliatives for business owners.
Nzekwe, however, urged business owners to always give a true picture of their turnover and profits to enable them to benefit from the federal government’s incentives.
He also urged the federal government to learn a lesson from the current COVID-19 pandemic by building critical infrastructure in the country.