Gulf ready for national census

GULF province is well prepared for the 2010 National Population and Housing Census following a four-day “fact finding tour” in Kerema, Gulf province, on Feb 15.
Two National Statistical officers concluded the tour in the provincial capital by declaring that the province was ready for the census.
The tour was conducted to determine the provincial census committee’s readiness for the national population and housing census activities.
Both assistant director logistics south/west region Tony Walsa, and coordinator assisting Gulf provincial coordinator Gulf provincial coordinator Davis Malala, said they were impressed with the preparatory phase for the province.
The officers said records showed 90% of the ground work was already in place, adding the 10% activities pending would be furnished by the end of the week to the NSO headquarters for commencement of census activities in the province by March.
Mr Walsa said the districts covered include Hela, Southern Highlands, Western and Gulf provinces.
He said the 10% of activities pending were basically administrative, involving:
* The convening of the first provincial census advisory committee meeting and;
* To identify the establishment of office space for the census operations.
Currently, provincial census coordinator Chris Hova is using the office of the policy and planning as his operational centre.
Meanwhile, budgetary support from the Gulf provincial government was unclear at this stage.
However, Mr Hova was confident of the government’s funding support for the national census.