Data collection remains a challenge

IT seems not much effort has been put into ensuring that there is a centralised data management system in place to provide the Government with important statistics for evidence-based planning and development.
Information, statistics and other useful data make planning for the future easier.
For any successful country to navigate through the challenges and pitfalls of economic and social growth, it is essential for the those in power to have at their disposal a set of reliable figures on which to refer to when choosing the course the nation should take for the benefit of all its citizens.
But these figures and trends should not just chart the changes that occur over a certain period of time but should be continually updated and made relevant for the times.
Take for example; population growth, the infant mortality rates or rates of rural-to-urban drift, voting population and what the demographics are for that population.
These information are crucial for nearly every government department in order to forecast change and deal with planning in an efficient manner.
These information will ensure long-term growth or in the worst case scenario, control and inhibit negative impacts of the said change.
The many issues regarding the last election on the electoral roll would not have come up had data was collected swiftly and added into the system.
A lot had been said about centralising the national identification (NID) system to enrol voters and avoid the chaos experienced in the last election.
The NID system will not only be for election purposes but to be used to accessing various government services.
All efforts, time and resources should be focused in ensuring the NID system works in terms of sending out teams to the rural areas to register citizens and issue NID cards and birth certificates.
The Government should adequately fund departments that are tasked with collecting data – PNG Civil and Identify Registry Office, National Statistical Office (NSO) and the PNG Electoral Commission.
If PNG had the NID system in place, then all the Electoral Commission has to do is pull out the data from there and using its own check and balance, start a new common roll.
With the NID system, the NID and NSO offices should become a reservoir of data that the state and the people can rely on for accurate, comprehensive and accessible information on a range of areas.
The need for reliable information in this country has always been a problem.
The last census was in 2011 but was mired in technical and logistical problems that one can barely accept the information gathered without thinking it is not a true indication of the population.
The introduction of the NID system is in large part a way to minimise the stress put on the state to carry out a nationwide survey every five or so years.
It may take a while to implement fully but it is worth pursuing.
Going forward, a mechanism should be place at all health centres and hospitals to register all births and each should be issued an ID number.
The responsibility of updating the NID system should fall on data analysts who should do an audit of the system every six months.
Information is vital if this country is to function and grow.