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Private sector hailed for supporting pre-census activities

The Ministry of National Development Planning has paid growing tribute to the private sector for partnering with government in supporting the 2020 Census of Housing and Population.
Speaking when receiving Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and financial support of K60, 000 from Zanaco and Ecobank towards the exercise, Permanent Secretary in charge of development planning and administration Chola Chabala said this is the first time that the private sector has partnered with government to support census activities in the country.
Mr. Chabala also said the donation signals a new era in which the private sector rises to the occasion to support government in carrying the out Census of Housing and Population.
He disclosed that the Zambia Statistics Agency is in dire need of a lot of support, from the treasury and other partners who might include cooperating partners and the private sector as it is due to undertake the 6th Census of population and housing.
“You may be aware that government is due to undertake the 6th Census of population and housing, and we are also very proud for having continuously undertaken census since 1964, at periodic required intervals.”
“We are glad that the private sector who support this pre-census exercise are coming on board to partner with government to lighten the burden of procuring Personal Protective Equipment for Field data collectors. The success of Pre-Census activities would not have been possible without the support of partners,” Mr. Chabala said.
Mr. Chabala appealed to other organizations to rise to the occasion and emulate the two banks because Census data is very important for private sector growth.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chabala disclosed that government has been occupied with the mapping and listing of households, which is an exercise to undertake geographical listing of housing units, including those that are vacant, residential and none residential areas, all buildings under construction which include, schools and health facilities.
He said this exercise has been fully completed in six of the ten provinces while the other four remaining provinces which are Central, Southern Northern and Muchinga are currently being covered, hence the need to support data collectors by way of ensuring that they are fully protected from Covid-19.
“It is worth noting that this phase of mapping exercise is by far different from what we have had in the past. This being undertaken amid Covid-19 pandemic, and I must also state that before Covid-19 we had the gassing incident which has also affected the completion of the exercise.”
“But of course the Covid19 is a different challenge because we need to support our data collectors by way of ensuring that they have to undertake the exercise fully protected and one of the requirements is that they need to wear masks on their faces,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, Zanaco Acting Chief Executive Officer Lishala Situmbeko said financial inclusion is the only way to make everyone count because the 2020 Census is about ensuring that everyone counts.
Mr. Situmbeko said the bank has since spread digital banking channels with the aim of ensuring that the whole country has digital banking channels.
“To us I think this occasion marks a very important milestone, an important milestone from two points. First of all as ZANANCO we believe that development is about people, without people there can be no development, and also the fact that when you are able to count the people then you are able to granulate development to each and every person.”
“What we are also saying is that financial inclusion is the way to make everyone count, and that is why from our perspective, we have made sure that we have spread digital banking channels to each and every person, we are also saying that all the Zambians that we do count, we would like them to be financially included,” Mr. Situmbeko said.
The Zambia Statistics Agency is currently preparing to conduct the next round of the Census of Population and Housing, in August 2020. The previous Census of Population and Housing was conducted in October 2010.
The purpose of the Census is to provide a full, reliable picture of Zambia’s population and housing which includes various characteristics, i.e. demographic, social and economic data about each locality in the country.

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