02 Mar 2022

Population and housing census has been described as a precursor to planning, development and democratic processes, and as such needed to be meticulously performed.

This has emerged from training workshops in Ghanzi, Francistown and Ramotswa workshops, where officials of respective localities have descibed  census as a serious exercise that impacts on the lives of citizens. They said census  provided baseline data for development planning , policy decisions, and  research works undertaken by institutions, businesses and individuals.

In Ghanzi, the District council chairperson, Mr Thato Tshweneyagae said enumerators efforts could not be ignored, as they collected crucial statistics which would form a baseline data for planning, development and democratic processes.

“You play important role in the country democracy, because numbers are decisive factor for demarcation of boundaries for parliamentary constituencies and council wards,’ he explained.

Mr Tshweneyagae said it was the obligation of government to conduct census as per Act of 2009, adding  that it would be the sixth census to be conducted in the country.

He told trainees to learn and understand the art of enumeration to make the exercise a success, adding that Ghanzi was multicultural district thus he said they should be patient and humble, as there might encounter a challenge of language barrier.

Ghanzi District Commissioner, Mr Mooketsi Lesetedi said enumeration was crucial for policy formulation, planning and development purposes. ‘For area to be declared a settlement or village it is because of numbers and developments are guided by our numbers’ Mr Lesetedi indicated.

In Ramotswa, prospective enumerators for the forthcoming population and housing census have been urged to commit to mastering the process during training and to perform meticulously during the process of enumeration.

Addressing South East South sub district enumerators, Acting Deputy District Commissioner Ms Kushatha Tsokedi reminded trainees that they were responsible to collect information needed as baseline for national development through policy and program formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

“We are here today to train enumerators in the administration of the census instruments in order to collect information from households.

As enumerators you are the most important personnel in this project because you are the medium of linkage between members of the public at household level and government through the offices of the district commissioner and statistics Botswana,” she said.

She said training ensured that prospective enumerators were well equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to collect good quality census data.

While North East District Council Secretary, Mr Motshwariemang Matseka appealed to those who would be appointed as enumerators for the 2022 population census to take the exercise serious because it impacted on the lives of the people.

He said the success of the project depended on enumerators’ commitment and subsequent zeal to perform meticulously during the process of enumeration.
He explained that this was the reason why this year’s exercise required qualifications with related fields that included statistics, mathematics, population studies, as well as demographics, amongst others.

He said this year’s exercise seeks to recruit highly motivated, energetic and innovative persons hence the need for high qualification training.

Census technical coordinator, Ms Ditshupo Gaobotse appealed to those who will be appointed not to mislead government with wrong information, which could not provide quality data, thereby misleading government not to provide quality distribution and planning of resources.

Attendees promised to take the exercise seriously and deliver on their mandate if nominated. ENDS