The Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State last Wednesday faulted the population figure declared for it by the National Population Commission (NPC), saying it was inaccurate.

Testifying on behalf of the council before the Census Tribunal ‘A’, a witness Mr Godday Bariwei, said that the figure declared for the council did represent the actual population.

Bariwei alleged that some of their localities were omitted by the enumerators during the exercise.

He blamed the lapses on insufficient personnel and writing materials, adding that he was able to establish the fact through his interrogation with some of the officials during the exercise.

The testifier, who noted that the council was demarcated into more than 300 demarcation areas, said 26 out of the 40 communities in the council were not enumerated.

He said, during the 2006 National Population and Headcount Census I was delegated by Olodiama Peoples Vanguard to monitor the exercise, .

“During the course of my monitoring, I discovered that a lot of our localities were deprived of their statutory rights after staying at home throughout the seven days slated for the exercise.’’

He said some of the communities that were not enumerated were Unbug, Okpotuawari, Okpuadino, Bazighaghene, Abartamineghene, Zionairi, Tebidaba, Iginagbene among others.

He said those enumerated included Korokorosci, Olugbobiri, Ondeweri and Ikeindhendiri.

A member of the tribunal, Mrs Miannaya Essien (SAN), holding brief for the Chairman Mr Abraham Yisa, adjourned the case to April 23 for continuation of hearing.