Statistics office seeks alternative

The National Main Stories

By LORRAINE JIMAL
THE National Statistical Office (NSO) is set to take an alternate approach to conducting the national population and housing census, acting national statistician John Igitoi says. Igitoi said there would be no head counts but they would use a computer programme called Moodle population estimates to conduct the census. He told The National that they would use Moodle to estimate populations for the districts and the provinces with the baseline information from household listings, the structures in the country, demography and health survey and other information they collected already.
He said to support and ensure that their estimation was accurate, they would do random household surveys.
“NSO has different ways of collecting statistics and the head count is differed but we will do census in another way that will not engage people,” he said.
“So, at least we get some numbers before the actual numeration that was deferred to a later date.”
Igitoi said the exercise would take six months to complete.
“As a Government agency, it is our duty to report to the Government and we are prepared to take another approach.”
Igitoi said Moodle population estimates technology would be used negating the need for officers to go to houses enumerate.
He said his office had been on track to carry out the census last year but the Covid-19 and other issues had combined to derail their plans however they had made enough preparations to be able to still conduct a census. He clarified that the census would not affect the electoral common roll and elections next year, even though they both dealt with population data.
He said the electoral roll was a deferent activity conducted by a different state agency.
Igitoi said the census counted people of ages while the electoral roll only focused on people aged 18 years and above.

14 comments

  • This is bullshit. Do the actual count of people.
    Data must be collected in person not using computer simulayion to predict numbers especially when people can be reached easily.

  • NSO Acting Statistician is taking another approach while PM Marape has said Ward Councilors would be used to get population data… Is it a collusion cause?

  • It is good to leave the task with the ward counselors to count and get the actual figures of their respective wards.
    It must not be estimated using computers.

  • I suggest the head count is much more better. Use the councilors like the PM has said it, save cost and information will be accurate.
    Estimate em lusim.

  • This Statistician is out of his mind. Follow what PM has said. Ward councilors are better people to provide sufficient and accurate information regarding the National senses. they deal with everyday lives in the village and they exactly know who the community members are. Stop this guessing thing, Mr. igitoi.

  • PNG doesnt need estimate numbers. We need the exact number of our population. More than 10 years have passed since the last census and no one knows exactly how many people we have. By know we are certainly looking at a number between 10 and 12 million people.
    This current chaos also seems to suggest that there is no communication and no planning between the government and some of its agencies. Wanwan bihain like blo em tasol.

  • Honestly this idea won’t work in the best interest of the Nation and its people.

    This is all rubbish

  • Time is of essence with only 8 months before the issue of writs and when and how soon will the electoral roll be ready for quality check by eligible voters before pooling?
    The word counselors will now collude with intending candidates for 2022 and inflate the number of eligible voters and who will have the time to go there and rectify? The problems will be even worse than the last election common roll update.

    Election returning officers and assistant returning officers will be even more powerful to manipulate and rig the coming election. That is the prediction and warning!

  • A better head count will come from the wards. It will be timely and much more accurate. What is now needed is for responsible government agencies put their heads together for to ensure the work done at the ward level is appropriately resourced and done diligently and professionally.
    The National Census will only gobble up money but it will take two to five years for the figures to get published. But then it will be stale information.

  • There won’t be money coming in for hiring cars and sleeping in hotels any more that’s why he is finding other ways to convince the government to give him some pocket money for X-MAS.

  • The Acting Statician is not sure of his role by the way he is handling the nation wide census.

    Do physical head counts and compile household and demographic data with pen and paper and analyse from that raw data and compile census information

Comments are closed.