Preparations for October pilot Census nearing completion – Mozambique

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Preparations for October pilot Census nearing completion – Mozambique

8:21 CAT | 23 Sep 2016

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Preparations for the pilot population census are almost complete and the Mozambican government on Friday guaranteed that this dummy run for the full census will take place, as planned, in the first fortnight of October.

Chaired by Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario, the Census Coordinating Council met in Maputo and confirmed the dates for the pilot census as 1 to 15 October.

The pilot census is regarded as an important dress rehearsal, which will test the census methodology and all the forms and questions used. It will ascertain conditions on the ground and the type of difficulties that could be faced by the full census, scheduled for August next year.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the spokesperson for the National Statistics Institute (INE), Cirilo Tembe, said that cartographic updating is now under way. This is extremely important to ensure that the census brigades have accurate, up-to-date maps.

“The machine has been tuned for the pilot census”, said Tembe. “We’ve been updating the maps, prioritising the areas that will be covered in the pilot census. We are working on this to ensure that when the full census is held everything runs smoothly”.

As for the costs of the pilot census, Tembe estimated these at 60 million meticais (about 800,000 US dollars), and said the government has guaranteed payment. But he admitted this sum is not yet fully available, and the government had been seeking funds from its international partners.

Tembe was certain that the partners would be forthcoming. “The INE and the Central Census Office will continue working bilaterally with our partners, to ascertain what the amount of their contributions will be”, he said.

About 60,000 people are being trained to take part in the pilot census. It will take place in selected localities in all 11 provinces.

The cost of the full census is estimated at 75 million dollars, said Tembe. Some 600,000 people will be involved in the census, and the INE will lean very heaving on recruiting teachers and students from the secondary schools.

Source: AIM