Census is everybody’s business

DATA, which are important facts and details collected for analysis, may seem for the majority of us a mundane and even unnecessary matters.
But, in the grand scheme of a country’s development, it forms the basis for all planning.
Data is already a new commodity of trade, investment and development and an important arsenal in global geo-politics.
In Papua New Guinea, an important set of data can be collected from the Population and Household Census conducted every 10 years.
The present one, deferred from 2021 is due in June.
A census is the count of people in a country at a particular time.
It records information about the population’s characteristics such as age, sex, occupation etc.
The nation’s census is authorised under the Statistical Services Act 1980, and it is required by law that all Papua New Guineans, including foreigners, are recorded, regardless of their age or citizenship status.
It is a critical undertaking because it shapes PNG’s democracy, public policy and economy and ensures Government funds are equally distributed to all sectors of development.
It also forms the foundation of fair political representation in the allocation of seats in all tiers of governments and mapping out land borders.
Non-government organisations, development partners and academics also rely on this data to do their work.
PNG has only ever had three censuses which were held in 1980, 1990 and 2000.
The fourth was supposed to be held in July 2010 but deferred to July 2011 to provide sufficient preparation time, and even that census was questionable.
To this day, only population estimates and projections have been used when discussing the country.
In December 2022, there was an uproar over a 17-million population estimate from a United Nations report that was prematurely leaked.
During the launch of the country’s 2024-50 population projections last September, it was said that the population was likely to reach 21 million by 2050.
For now, PNG’s widely-used population estimate stands at about 11 million. Only the census this year will confirm the country’s true population figure once and for all.
With the leadership of the Ministry of Administrative Services, which now guides the National Statistics Office (NSO) and other key agencies, the census is set for June 17-30 this year.
All hands are on deck for this national event.
Prime Minister James Marape will launch the start of the census programme next Wednesday.
The reference night has been scheduled for June 16 and actual counting of individuals in the country is to start the next day.
NSO has been working in phases over the years in the lead-up to this significant event.
The use of 22,000 tablets is said to make an improvement on data collection.
The Department of National Planning and Monitoring and other relevant Government agencies and stakeholders also need the population figure to create baselines to plan and provide services.
The country’s development partners, particularly the United Nations Population Fund, have been helping over the years to prepare for this nationwide undertaking by providing technical assistance.
The Opposition has commended the Government for prioritising the census but has also raised concerns over the lack of preparation and funding allocated for the decennial event.
Academics and researchers, who have studied the country’s different census events and their trends over the years, have written extensive reports and recommendations that had fallen on deaf ears.
Funding and capacity constraints has always been an issue for events of such magnitude.
This year’s census needs to be conducted by any means necessary, which requires the active participation of every person in the country.
The previous attempts at conducting a census that had failed should be forgotten. All our attention should be shifted to what we will do now.
The upcoming census should be the business of every Government entity – national and sub-national.
An accurate census will ensure accurate planning and directional allocation of scarce resources.
Corruption and vice thrive in the dark alleys of misinformation and inaccurate data. They will be dispelled when the floodlights of accurate information and data are brought to bear on them.
We are proud to partner the National Statistical Office to bring information on Census 2024.
A developing country such as PNG needs vital information from the census to do just that – develop.