SOURCES OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA (CONVENTIONAL METHODS)

CONVENTIONAL METHODS

Population Census:

According to U.N. 1965 census is defined as the total process of collecting, compiling and publishing demographic, economic and social data pertaining to a specified time to all persons in a country or delineated territory (part of a country).

Major Characteristics of Census

Ø Government sponsorship i.e. Census is a massive program and also cost-intensive operation and as such, it can only be only be handled by government. It is the government that has the legal authority and also administrative authority.

Ø Defined Territory; people know the boundary, there is no conflict over the territory e.g. Bakassi.

Ø Universality; Census involves every indigene, both old, and young, males and females in a defined territory; it must include everybody.

Ø Simultaneity; the total population enumeration it took place at the same time in all location, e.g. at 8pm in the in every locations, every census office must be at the first house in that time, everywhere in Nigeria in order to check other duplication. If Census is done in phases, people will move from one place to another for another phase.

Ø Periodicity; Census take place at an interval of 10 years (interval basis) as recommended by the United Nation. Census is conducted period by period Census need to be conducted on a fixed sequence not like this time you conducted after 5years, next time after 10years, 8years etc. it must be fixed sequence; if its 10years, it should be maintained at that 10 years.

RELEVANCE OR IMPORTANCE OF CENSUS

1)    It help in planning, taking some specific decisions.

2)    Census depicts the main characteristics of labour force.

3)    Growth and growth rate could be asserted through Census.

4)    From Census, economic issues could be determined.

5)    From Census, we can establish ethnic groups and how many are they in a given geographical areas.

6)    It helps in manpower development i.e. know the number of employed and unemployed.

7)    Census can be used in economic and social development.

8)    It is essential for assessment for human resources and human needs i.e. when you know the number of a given number of a people, you can provide the necessary needs of that people.

Basically, Census among other things, help planners, government, policy makers to know the number people they are planning for; this means that in order to function properly, National Government must periodically takes National Population Census; take an inventory (i.e. human resources inventory).

Every country need to know how many people are they and how many are they in every kind i.e. males, females olds, children etc. and where they are found. Without a population count of this nature; a picture of low population is distributed and other population facts, government administrators are unable to appreciate currents and impending problem of population.

            Therefore, the primary important of Census is to know the number, distribution and socio-demographic characteristics of people because such pieces of information are necessary to facilitate socio-economic development planning.

            Thus, a popular Census is of great relevant to economic, political and social development of a country. Population Census also is the major source of benchmark (standard) data on the size, structure, distribution of a country's population requirement for both planning and research.

NATURE OF CENSUS DATA

1)    The kind of data needed during Census is a function of national needs.

2)    International comparability.

3)    Public reaction to the question can influence Census data.

4)    Respondent’s interest to cooperate is another factor that influences Census data.

5)    Manpower affects the nature of Census data.

6)    Financial and Processing Resource Agency can affects Census data also.

The following items are standard in every Census of the world.

A.    The geographic items.

Q1.     What is the location at time of Census and/or place of usual residence?

B. Household or family information

Q1.     What is the relationship to the head of the household; to know how many biological children belongs to that household.

C.     Personal characteristics of respondents

Q1.     What is the sex?  i.e. male or female.

Q2.     Age

Q3.     Marital status as at the time of Census

Q4.     Place of birth

Q5.     Citizenship

D.    Economic Characteristics

Q1.     What type of economic activities you are engaged into?

Q2.     What is your occupation?

Q3.     What industry? i.e. is it a banking industry, or is it a manufacturing or textile industry.

Q4.     Status in that organization i.e. are you an employee or an employer?

E.     Cultural characteristics.

Q1.     Language, what is your language?

Q2.     Ethnic or national characteristics

F.     Fertility

Q1.     Total live born (children ever born)

Q2.     Children currently living

G.    Educational Characteristics.

Q1.     Literacy; can you read and write in any language.

Q2.     Level of education, this has to do with formal education.

Q3.     School attendance (in some countries)

U.N lists the above items as the minimum essentials for any Census. Most nations however may desire to go beyond these and collect additional data. The needs for this additional information may be urged by government, private or business organization.

EXECUTING A SCIENTIFIC CENSUS

Before executing any scientific Census, there involve three activities namely;

1.     Pre-Census activities

2.     Activities during Census and

3.     Post-Census activities.

It is important to NOTE that the U.N recommends that before any Census is conducted; the country involved must have taken a minimum of 36 months (3years) of planning before Census is executed.

PRE-CENSUS ACTIVITIES

1.     System of Enumerations; think of the system first. it involve the following.

a.     De-facto: in this, people are enumerated wherever they are found and are been count there.

b.     De-jure: in this, people are counted at their usual place of residence.

2.     Enumeration Area Demarcation; this is also seen as the total activities, it involves;-

a.     E.A (Enumeration Area)

b.     S.A (supervisory area)

Enumeration Area is an area that is given to enumerators in phases, segment etc. the entire country needs to be enumerated into E.As; usually 4 E.As under one S.A depending on the size of the place. Every E.A must have enumeration area map.

3.     Recruitment of Census Personnel; recruit those that are educationally competent, the minimum is OND. U.N recommends to recruit teachers or undergraduate students; the physical maturity of the person to be recruited; he shouldn’t be an infant, emotionally sound, people whose temperament could be checked people; of integrity (morally sound) are also important in the recruitment stage.

4.     Training; massive training of enumerators, supervisors etc. all personnel must be subjected to training. They need to be trained on how to conduct the training. They need to be trained on cultural compliance etc. even their dressing; they need to be trained the way they responds to people’s reaction and so on. The quality of training determines the quality of the Census.

5.     Fixing of Date for Census; the date must not be fixed at the heights of festivity or at the high of seasons i.e. raining season, hamattan season and so on or at the height of festivity like Sallah day, Christmas day etc. it is important to NOTE the timing of the previous Census in order to make comparison

6.     Decision on the type of the questionnaire; this is in order to know whether the Census will succeed or not. The way a question is formed is very important because question can be ambiguous (ambiguous in the sense that if a single question has a different interpretation by the various respondents) question must be so worded in such a way the questions is unambiguous. also the arrangement.

a.     Number of the question to be asked.

b.     Wording of the questions to be unambiguous.

c.      Arrangement of the question in such a way the responds will be flowing.

d.     There is need for pre-test of the questionnaire before Census, there are series of pre-tests. According to U.N there must hold 2 pre-test before Census.

In protest, it takes place in a special geographical location i.e. extremist revering or mountainous location in order to get the feeling and reaction of such people. The range of question asked at Census is the result of last pre-test which is also called TRIAL CENSUS.

7.     Inform the public and obtain their Cooperation; massive enlighten campaign; some people have the perception that the more children they have, is the more tax they will pay, and as such they hide the exact number of their children which is the need to enlighten the public about the importance of Census, educate maiunguwa, the village heads so that they called the town criers to informed the people about the Census activities. There is need to get rid of the negative perception the people have on Census; people must be aware of the Census activities before the Census day.

8.     Test all the arrangements and also the final pre-test or the trial Census.

9.     Plan for processing of data.

CENSUS PERIOD (Field enumeration)

Census day starts at exactly 12mid-night on that day of the Census. At 12mid-night, insane people are located and counted. During Census, enumerators can obtain Census data in two ways, namely;

1.     Direct approach.

2.     Householder approach.

In Direct enumeration, a large number of enumerators are recruited, trained and send to field, assign to particular area to obtain by direct personal interviews; information about every person living within the assigned boundary. In each of the household, a reliable informant will be identified, and relied on for the formation needed and asked him/her.

Householder approach, Census questionnaire is mailed or delivered by hand for each household or living quarter and the household head is saddle with the responsibility for reporting for everybody in the household, this is used in developed societies.

Problems of Census in Developing Societies

1)    Ignorance

2)    Lack of full cooperation

3)    Level of illiteracy

4)    Understanding of government policies and programmes

5)    Irregularities i.e. over-enumeration and under-numeration

6)    Politicization

7)    Accessibility i.e. some houses are not accessible, some people live in poorly topographic areas and might be omitted during Census period.

8)    Poor infrastructural facilities like good roads etc.

9)    Poor preparation example in the case of Nigeria, General Census is holding in 2018 and according to U.N. there must be 36months (3years) preparation before Census is conduct but there is no any preparation.