The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has charged Ndi Imo and the entire Southeast region to take advantage of the 2023 Census to address marginalization.
Governor Hope Uzodimma gave the charge at the Imo State Stakeholders Summit on Population and Housing Census Flag-Off Ceremony at the Eze Ndi Imo Palace, Mbari, Owerri.
The Governor stressed that the outcome of any census impacts everyone negatively or positively. He added that “If you don’t want to be cheated, the time to do it is now”.
He advised every Imo citizen irrespective of party affiliate, to be fully involved in the civic exercise as nonchalant attitudes will amount to being undercounted and shortchanged as a State and as a region.
Speaking earlier at the flag-off, the Speaker, Imo House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Prince Emeka Nduka disclosed that the opportunity for the Southeast to count its numerical strength is now.
He added that anyone who impedes the smooth process of the census would be doing a disservice to the people of Imo State and the Southeast at large.
Present at the event were; National Population Commission Chairman, Prof. Uba Nnabue, the Eze Imo, Eze (Dr.) E.C. Okeke, and other traditional rulers, Government officials, Sole administrators and other grassroots leaders.
