CENSUS workshop for the Highlands region is currently underway in Jiwaka Province.

The week long meeting commense on Monday and will be completed on Friday 26th April at the Jiwaka Mission Resort in North Whagi district Jiwaka Province.

The Provinces in attendance are, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Jiwaka, Western Highlands, Enga, Southern Highlands and Hela Province.

Provincial Administrator for Jiwaka Rick Kogen has welcome the participanting provinces to Jiwaka province and has assured their commitment to support the National event.

” My thanks to National Statistical Office to choose Jiwaka to conduct this important workshop. “

“Jiwaka was the first province in the Highlands to signed the MOA with the National Statistical Office few months ago and we are ready to conduct the Census in our Province. ” He said.

Mr. Kogen said given the significance of the event, Census is important for National Government development plan which all provinces will benefit.

” Jiwaka province has capture few National events this year including the Local Level Government elections, PNG games and the Census for this years budget”

” We are ready to support the Census in Jiwaka and other Highlands provinces and make it successful for our country. “

” Census is an important exercise, it has been long overdue”.

” The current figures of our population that is used by the Government is outdated and obsolete.”

“We need the exact population figures for our development planning, therefore we must support this years Census” He said.

” It will help the government planning, budgetary process and resource allocation for our people.”

“After the completion of this exercise,we will use it for our development planning. “He said

National Statistician John Igitoi said, the main reasons for bringing the Provincial officers to the workshops are for them to:

• understand various preparatory activities and process.
• guide coordinate and synchronized he operations in the province in a more coherant and synergistic way
• keep them abreast of what is expec ted from them and how best they can respond to challenges and issues.
• send same publicity messages across to everyone on the purposes of the Census