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NSO ready for 2018 electronic census

 

The National Statistical Office (NSO) says it is ready for the first ever 2018 Electronic National Population and Housing Census (PHC) estimated to cost K21 billion.

Speaking on Saturday in Zomba during this year’s African Statistics Day commemorations, Commissioner of Statistics, Mercy Kanyuka said the 2018 PHC will be different from previous exercises because enumerators will use tablets for data collecting to improve data processing.

Kanyuka: We are using new methods

“We have done the mapping exercise for the 2018 Malawi PHC which included procurement of heavy mapping machines, capacity building of staff and engagement of a Kenya-based consultancy firm, Regional Centre for Mapping Development Resources, which helped to re-demarcate the country into manageable enumeration areas,” she said.

Kanyuka added that geographical information system and satellite imagery are some of the processes associated with the 2018 census.

NSO has already pre-tested a questionnaire they developed through a pilot exercise which took place in 10 districts around the country.

Taking his turn, deputy mayor for Zomba City Davie Maunde asked the media in the country to publicise the 2018 PHC, saying the exercise is an important national activity that requires everyone’s participation.

The African Statistics Day is celebrated annually since 1993 to promote the role of statistics in formulating social and economic development policies. This year’s theme was ‘Better Lives with Better Economic Statistics.’

NSO was established in 1963 and is mandated by the Statistics Act to collect, analyse, publish and disseminate official statistics for evidence-based policy formulation, decision-making and monitoring and evaluation of development programmes.

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