Official date set for fifth national census

By HELEN TARAWA
THE country’s fifth census will be conducted in July next year to determine the exact number of people and their distribution around the country.
Cabinet has declared Sunday, July 12 next year as the census night – when people will be counted wherever they are on that particular night.
Census director and Deputy National Statistician Bernard Kiele told The National that census night was necessary to avoid double-counting.
“It is called defector census, a reference night.
So we will count everyone in the house (on that night). As much as possible, if families want to be counted together, they must be together on the night of July 12,” he said.
He said if a family member stayed in a relative’s home on that night, he or she will be counted in the relative’s home.
National Planning and Implementation Minister Richard Maru told Parliament the population and housing census was the biggest peacetime operation conducted every 10 years.
The first four were held in 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2011.
He during the past 10 years, a lot had changed in the social, economic and demographic landscape of the county.
“Our country cannot rely on statistics from past census. (We) must be on par with the current population and housing statistics to enable the Government to make informed decision.
“This is what this census is all about. Our planning and the distribution of services in the past 10 years have been challenged because of changing social and economic and demographic factors.”
The 2011 census recorded 7.1 million as the total population.
Maru said Census 2020 would help establish statistics for its population moving forward into the next 10 years.
“It is worth undertaking for effective planning and equitable distribution of essential services to every Papua New Guinean. Our responsibility as a government from both sides of the House is to provide the utmost support to ensure the census 2020 is a success.”