Design And Implementation Of A Computerised Population Census Monitoring System

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

Population census is a total process of collecting, compiling and publishing demographic economic and social data pertaining at a special time, to all persons in a state or country (United Nation, 1958). It is essential to note that census does not mean just counting the number of people, but collecting a whole range of demographic economic and social statistics.

The census process may take three forms ie. The manual, the computerized and the semi-computerized process. The manual process is the movement of enumeration from house to house, street to street and even town to town counting people. The acquired data are summarized or summed up manually to give the actual census. The computerized process is just the issuing of identity card and computer numbers. Each card contains marital status, state of origin, ages sex, occupation etc. each time census is to be taken, the information on these cards are slotted into the computer and computed without moving from house to house.

The semi-computerized process is the combination of the manual and computerized process. Information is acquired manually by moving from house to house and data acquired is then added up using the computerized method. This method is recently employed by the National population census in Nigeria. This was used during the 1991 census.

The emphasis on this study computerized population monitoring census system of Enugu state is on the semi-computerized and computerized process. The onset of technological revolution proved the need for employing scientific and technological device to most aspects of human activities.

The absolute manual process of census computation practices in those days gave rise to unreliable, insufficient and approximate figures. This researcher’s belief is already given way to a more sufficient trusted mechanized process of collecting and computing satisfied data.

The Statement of the Problem

Population census in developed countries are often perfectly computed and documented more than in developing countries. The reason for their perfection are not far fetched. They have machines such as population clock, good management, capital and trained personnel’s. The biggest problem facing the national population commission (NPC) are those of the technological enhancement. The level of computer application to demographical purpose is very low. Most of these problems emanated from the fact that there is lack of management, funds, trained personnel and people beliefs. Census programme cannot be discussed without examining the thinking of the management or the type of leadership existing in the commission. Also the financial stand and people’s reaction towards census issues contributed greatly to efficiency and effectiveness in census computation.

The Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study, was to design and implement the computer population census monitoring system for Enugu State. It will be possible to see to what extent the computerized population census monitoring system of Enugu State can solve the problem of undependable data computation, approximation of census figures and monitoring.

Another purpose is to see how computerized population monitoring census system in Enugu State is enhanced by computer. The issue of 10 years census interval which is meant for computing and documenting the demographical data, will now be reduced to 3 to 5 years interval. Since the computer-based census system will only take months to obtain, compute and document the demographic data.

Also this study in completion, will serve as a step forward towards the technological advancement in census computation and monitoring.

Aims and Objectives.

The objectives of this study is to bring to focus the need and importance of computer application to demographical cases. The study will also highlight what changes are necessary in the method and process of census computation and whether there is alternative approach to indicate citizen identify. In the final analysis, the study will contribute towards formulating meaningful goals and maximization of investment in National population commission, to encourage efficiency and accuracy.

The Scope of the Study

The researcher is limited to the study of computerized population census monitoring system of Enugu State (What it is and what it will be in future). The study is limited to the information acquired from Enugu State National population commission (N.P.C). Enugu state being a young state and experiencing only one census (1991 census) more information were gathered from the write ups of the past census in Nigeria to back up the study since Enugu State is not different from the census strategy of the nation.

The Limitations

Owing to the straight condition stipulated by “National Population Commission Decree No. 23 1989 Part V” For the release of population figures the author could not obtain sample population figures and census information necessary for the study. Some other problems include financial insufficiencies and time factor.

The Assumptions

This research was carried out with the assumption of combating the cumbersome work that might arise in dealing or handling census conducting and computation inefficiencies. For this reason, the assumption reward was to design and implement a computerized population census monitoring system with relevant packages and software that are relevant to computerization of census figures to arrest the difficulties involved in manual census computation.

The Definition of Terms

The more comprehension of this work, some of the terms used in the research work have been defined below.

Demographers:

These are people that make, use of statistical data for census computation.

Immigration:

This is the coming in of a person from one place to another.

Emigration:

This is the going out of a person from one town, state or country to another..

Migration:

This is the movement of people from one place to another.

Enumerator:

Is a person that moves from place to place, house to house collecting census data.

Bulletin:

This is journals or papers that contain facts.

De facto Count:

People are counted where they are found or see.