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National census key to budget allocation, says Muwana

By TRYNESS MBALE
GOVERNMENT says a census of population and housing is a major statistical undertaking and acts as a primary source of information which is critical for planning and economic development.
Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Wamunyima Muwana said the information given in the census will helps Government in terms of budgetary allocation in the 2015 national budget depending on the population in a particular area.
Mr Muwana said this in Lusaka on Tuesday at the dissemination of the 2010 population and housing results for Lusaka province and special report organised by the Central Statistical Office (CSO).
“A census of population and housing is a major statistical undertaking and acts as primary source of information about the population of any country. The fact that we are presenting the results from the 2010 census for Lusaka Province shows that, the CSO has managed to succefully undertake all the stages of the census undertaking.
“The dissemination of the results being presented today[Tuesday] is a major part of the last phase as it involves giving the provincial administration data for our planning and decision-making,” he said.
He said the presentation of the results give the people of Lusaka province an opportunity to know their own characteristics.
Earlier, CSO director John Kalumbi said the dissemination of the 2010 population and housing census results will provide data that is critical for planning and programme implementation at the sub-national level.
Mr Kalumbi said the objectives of the 2010 census of population and housing is to provide information on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population of the country at province, district and ward.
At the same occasion, United Nations Fund for Population Activities representative Mary Otieno said census provides sampling frame as well as baseline for population and related functional projects that are crucial for sectoral planning.
Meanwhile,  Department for International Development country representative Cormac Quinn said the undertaking of the census of population helps Government to make better planning in terms of developmental programmes.