THE Zanzibar Minister of State in President's Office (State House Affairs), Mr Jamal Kassim Ali, has asked people to take seriously the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census (PHC) because the government requires reliable data for development planning.
"Let us all get ready for the exercise slated for August 23, 2022. Both governments (Zanzibar and Union) need statistics for better planning," said the Minister in his speech read on his behalf by the Director of Services and Operations in President's Office (Finance and Planning), Mr Suleiman Mohammed Rashid.
He made the plea during the opening of the 'Census and Economy' conference at the Sheikh Idriss Abdulwakil Hall- Kikwajuni Street in the City where young people were gathered to learn about the importance of census.
He pointed out that the importance of conducting the Census is to enable the government to distribute essential services, including water, health, housing, and education for easy access.
Mr Ali remarked: "Citizens and other people here should be ready to be counted by providing cooperation to enumerators, because the availability of reliable data will help to spread these services in parts of the country."
He clarified that the census was not affiliated to any political party, religion, or tribe but it is national matter, so it is a right of everyone to participate in the exercise.
He urged citizens to abandon misconceptions about the exercise.
Mr Agustino Osca Matefu, Chairperson of Mayoda Economic Development Group (MEDG) - the organization which deals with economic development for young people, re-emphasized the importance of the census.
He said that the aim of establishing the group is to empower young people by building their capacity and providing them with capital to empower them economically, noting that census remains an important exercise for smooth growth.
Mr Matefu said his organization decided to organize a conference on census and economy with the aim of motivating young people to participate in the exercise in order to support the government's efforts.
Some participants of the conference, Mr Omar Yussuf and Ms Jamila Kombo, thanked the organisation for organizing the conference on creating awareness on census, and promised that they will be ambassadors in encouraging citizens to participate in the exercise.
