By George Ozalla

The National Population Commission (NPC) Press Corps has paid a condolence visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja following the death of its Chairman, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, with the management assuring that the programmes and policies he introduced would be sustained.

The delegation, led by the Chairman of the Press Corps, Mr. Joshua Adams, visited the Commission on Thursday, September 10, 2026, to identify with the NPC and mourn the late chairman, whom members described as a leader who showed strong interest in building a productive relationship with the media.

The journalists presented a condolence letter to the Commission and signed the condolence register in honour of Yusuf.

The delegation was received by the Federal Commissioner representing Plateau State, Hon. Mrs. Mary Ishaya Afan, mni, who is currently overseeing the office of the Chairman, alongside other Federal Commissioners, the Director-General of the NPC, Dr. Abuh Mohammed, and management staff of the Public Affairs Department.

Speaking during the visit, Adams described Yusuf as a lover of the media who understood the importance of allowing journalists to properly tell the story of the Commission and its work.

He recalled that the Press Corps had met with Yusuf three times before his death, saying the late chairman used the meetings to express his willingness to establish a closer working relationship with journalists covering the Commission.

According to Adams, Yusuf was particularly interested in having the media play a stronger role in communicating the activities and programmes of the NPC to the public.

He said the last meeting between the late chairman and members of the Press Corps took place during the World Population Day commemoration, where Yusuf asked the journalists to prepare a programme of activities for collaboration with the Commission.

“At the last World Population Day commemoration, that was the last time we met with him. He asked us to draft a programme of activities and share with him so that we could work together to project the activities of the Commission,” Adams said.

Adams said the request was an indication of the late chairman’s willingness to engage the media beyond routine coverage of Commission activities.

He disclosed that the NPC Press Corps has about 34 media platforms drawn from major media organisations across Nigeria, stressing that members considered it important to personally convey their condolences to the Commission following Yusuf’s death.

Responding on behalf of the Commission, Afan thanked the journalists for the visit and recalled the close attention Yusuf paid to the media as part of his seven-point agenda for the Commission.

She said the late chairman understood that the Commission could not effectively communicate its work without a strong working relationship with journalists and the Public Affairs Department.

“No matter how hard-working you are, if you don’t work very closely with the media team, information will not go out,” Afan said.

She explained that Yusuf’s approach was to ensure that the activities of the Commission were properly communicated, adding that the media was therefore an important part of the plans he brought into office.

Afan also gave an assurance that the Commission would not abandon the programmes initiated by the late chairman.

“We are not going to overturn any of them. We would want to have those programmes of activities soonest so that we can key into them immediately,” she said.

Her assurance came as the Commission continues to deal with the loss of a chairman whose tenure was marked by an agenda focused on transforming the institution.

The Federal Commissioner representing Oyo State and Chairman of the Public Affairs Committee, Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji, said the death of Yusuf had left the Commission in shock.

Oyetunji described the late chairman as a humble and open-minded leader who was receptive to ideas and willing to work with different stakeholders.

He disclosed that Yusuf had readily accepted a proposal to organise a dinner for media executives in Abuja before his death, saying the plan was part of efforts to strengthen the relationship between the NPC and the media.

According to him, the late chairman’s willingness to accept the proposal demonstrated the value he placed on media engagement.

Oyetunji thanked the Press Corps for the condolence visit and urged the journalists to maintain the same relationship with the Commission that they had built with Yusuf.

“We thank you for this visit. The NPC will do as much as possible to sustain the mission and this collaboration that we have with you. Please continue in the same way you showed love and affection to the late chairman, and let it extend to everyone in the NPC,” he said.

The Director-General of the NPC, Dr. Abuh Mohammed, also paid tribute to Yusuf, describing him as a man of vision who came into office with a seven-point agenda for the transformation of the Commission.

Mohammed said the late chairman brought a leadership style that encouraged participation and cooperation among officials and staff of the Commission.

He said Yusuf was not a leader who sought to impose himself on others, but one who carried people along in pursuing his plans for the Commission.

The Director-General assured that the NPC would do everything within its capacity to sustain and fulfil the policies and programmes introduced by the late chairman.

For the Press Corps, the condolence visit was not only an expression of sympathy to the Commission but also a recognition of Yusuf’s willingness to give the media a stronger role in communicating the work of the NPC.

Adams and members of the delegation thereafter signed the condolence register as they paid their final respects to the late chairman.