Minister Masere: PNG population will be known in 2025
Administrative Services Minister Richard Masere is confident the National Census will be successful despite numerous challengers.
In a media statement, Mr Masere stated that, “the prime minister and the National Executive Council are aware of the current census count and have strongly reminded National Statistical Office, Census Management Team and provincial coordination team to step up the execution of the ongoing plans and efforts to ensure the data collection will meet our national expectations.
“The total population of the country will be made known in 2025, following the national population census.”
Administrative Services Minister Richard Masere says as per current Census 2024 project plan, preliminary data for population count will be ready by 31st August, this year and then data validation and statistical analysis will be carried out before final census results are released, next year.
Mr Masere says despite many initial and ongoing challenges as a result of logistical constraints and mobile SIM card activation delays, census has commenced and work is in progress to upload the data collected into the census database.
He clarified that all Government monetary support had been released and data collectors who do not have a bank account will be paid, as National Statistical Office and the Department of Finance and Provincial Finance teams, are working to address it.
Mr Masere says this process is crucial to ensure payments are made correctly to the right individuals and to confirm that data collection was completed as required.