PM tells civil servants to assist in census

PRIME Minister James Marape says public servants around the country must do their part to assist in the 2024 national census.
During the census launch at The Stanley Hotel and Suites in the National Capital District on Wednesday, he directed chief secretary Ivan Pomaleu and Personnel Management Department secretary Taies Sansan to issue a circular notice to all public servants about the matter. “Every public servant will deploy your time to the count of citizens who you are serving,” Marape said.
“We have public servants in all layers of government.
“Use the public servants for the count of our people.
“To every public servant who is already on payroll, there is no time to be asking for allowances to do this job.
“From June 16-30, you are at work for the national census.”
Marape also encouraged all Grade 12 school-leavers to participate by enlisting as enumerators during the population count in June.
“To all Grade 12 graduates in our country doing nothing in your districts and provinces, report to your district and provincial administrators,” Marape said.
“Give your name and present yourself, so you can be among the enumerators used by the National Statistical Office (NSO).”
National statistician John Igitoi said this was part of NSO’s nationwide recruitment of data collectors for the census.
“The successful applicants will participate as designated field enumerators in their own areas to collect population data using android tablets,” he said.
“We ask for everyone’s support and cooperation because this is about every one of us.
“Your numbers are important, so you need to be counted.
“It requires a concerted effort on the part of different agencies and levels of government.
The provincial administrations and local level governments are expected to play a crucial role in the census.
“They are the link between the field officers and NSO,” Igitoi added.
“Support from the provincial administrations is needed.”