National Statistical Office needs immediate release of funds to conduct 2024 National Census

The National Statistical Office is pressing on the government to immediately release upfront payment of the K10 million allocated for the 2024 National Census, for training of enumerators across the country, as they are running out of time.

National Statistician John Igitoi says while the K10 million is not sufficient to cater for the whole program, training for 25, 000 enumerators must start towards the end of March and into April.

“Census is an important exercise for our country as it will help us in doing proper planning for service delivery. We urge every provincial government and local MP to come on board and assist in operational costs as this exercise is everyone’s business,” Igitoi said. 

The enumerators who mostly will be teachers will be engaged during the second term school break with assurance that their engagement will not interfere with classes.

The National Population and Housing Census for Papua New Guinea is an important national event on the calendar of the country that happens every ten years. The last census was conducted in 2011 after it was deferred from 2010.

Due to the Covid 19 pandemic the National Census could not be conducted in 2020- after three years the program will now kick in later this year.

"We are now looking forward to conduct the census but as said we only need upfront funding to be released immediately so we can train our enumerators nationwide.

“We will have 25,000 enumerators nationwide and we will liase with the LLG and provincial census coordinators to select them.

“We will mostly target teachers but it can also be extended to who can be able to use to tablet and enter data and upload in the clouds,” Igitoi added.

 He further highlighted that the 2024 Census will ensure every person, both citizens and non-citizens who are living in the country at a defined point in time will all be counted.

The National Statistical Office will work in partnership with UNFDA, The Pacific Community [SPC] and Australian Bureau of Statistics