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The last national census in Papua New Guinea was held in 2011.
photo: Facebook / Papua New Guinea 2024 National Census
Rollout of the 2024 National Population Census in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Postponed by one week Due to the late arrival of census materials in Buka.
Papua New Guinea’s national census has gotten off to a rocky start, with Radio New Zealand’s Pacific Channel reporting that training for census takers in some areas has not been completed and the distribution of electronic tablets used for the census has been delayed.
Earlier this week, PNG National Statistics Office director John Igitoi said statistics were expected to increase in the coming days.
Bougainville Government (ABG) provincial census coordinator Michael Omepa said the final level of training for Bougainville census officers would be conducted this week following the arrival of materials.
“The Autonomous Region of Bougainville will postpone the 2024 Population Census by one week due to delays in the transportation of materials,” Omepa said in a statement.
According to ABG, the census process will begin next week after the completion of training at 39 training sites.
The government said that before the actual enumeration process begins, field equipment and census materials will be sent to the districts.
“Officials from the NBS and ABG Community Development Department are working around the clock to collate and distribute the materials by the end of this week,” Omepa said.
The last national census in Papua New Guinea was held in 2011.
The census officially begins on June 17 and will run until the end of the month.
Prime Minister James Marape said on Wednesday the government would fully commit to providing financial support to achieve better results.
Marape said the original budget for the census was K300 million but this was later cut to K157 million. According to the Papua New Guinea National Broadcasting Corporation.
“We are aware of the cost, whatever it is, I think we have to spend money to get good quality data. The last census cost more than 400 million kyats, but we want to keep the cost at a moderate level considering the prices of goods and services,” the prime minister said.
RNZ Pacific Radio’s Papua New Guinea correspondent Scott Waide said the PNG government had set an impossible two-week deadline for census workers.
“Obviously there will be delays in many parts of Papua New Guinea because Papua New Guinea is a large country and people live in very remote communities and some places are very difficult to get to.
“So two weeks is feasible for urban centres, but two weeks is almost impossible for rural centres in the provinces.”
Wade said the data collection tools have not yet reached their destination.
“For places like Lae and Port Moresby, staff have been going out with forms to collect data, which you can imagine now has to be entered manually into the electronic system.
“The tablets purchased… the contract for which was awarded to an unknown non-communications contractor in India, Max Industries, have yet to reach the hands of those who were supposed to do the work.
“From media reports today, much of the cargo is still sitting in a warehouse in Port Moresby, which is causing great frustration for people across the country.”
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