Kaduna State government has solicited the support of media establishments to sensitize and educate residents of the state on the 2023 population and housing census.

The commissioner for planning and budget, Hajia Umma Aboki, made the appeal at the opening of a one-day sensitisation workshop for the Census Media and Publicity Sub-committee in the state.

The state government in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC), had in March inaugurated media and publicity, and security sub-committees to ensure a smooth exercise.

Aboki said "to ensure successful conduct of the exercise scheduled for May 3 to May 5, residents must be sensitised, educated and enlightened on the processes to keep them prepared.

"As such, we need the support of the media establishments in the state to ensure the success of the exercise. The residents need information about how the census will be conducted and the kind of information they will be required to provide.

"Therefore, the media are critical partners that will help us spread the needed information and mobilise the people to actively participate to ensure a hitch-free exercise," she said.

The state director, NPC, Hajia Adama Uthman, said that media sensitisation and mobilisation was critical to the success of the exercise and appealed for the cooperation of the media organisation.

"We cannot work without the media. We need them to communicate critical messages and information to the members of the public," Uthman said.

She appealed to the residents of the state to cooperate with the enumerators for a successful exercise.

Earlier, Dr Isiaka Yahaya, director, public affairs, NPC, said that the main objective of the workshop was to improve the capacity of journalists to effectively report the process and outcome of the exercise.