Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the next census scheduled for August 2022 shall come up with clear statistics of the number of People Living With Disability (PLWD) in efforts to put up plans for them to be supported in special programme.
NBS Chief Statistician, Dr Albina Chuwa, made the revelation here during the stakeholders meeting that was convened People with Disabilities drawn from across the country.
The meeting was held ahead of the pilot Population and Housing Census scheduled to be conducted later this month.
According to Dr Chuwa currently, there are no clear statistics on the number of people living with disabilities and the type of disabilities they have, because in the previous census families were hiding them.
“I ask all families with people living with disabilities to cooperate and name them in the August next year census, when the population and Housing census will be conducted, because with the clear number of disability groups and their kinds of disabilities, it will be easier for the government to put up proper plans to help them, especially for their incomes,” she pointed out.
She added: “Next year our country is going to conduct a population and housing census that is done after every ten years.
The exercise is very important in providing important statistics which will be used by policymakers in planning, setting development programs and monitoring their implementation.”
“Unlike the previous census, the forthcoming census will be unique. We will collect data as far as regions in rural areas and streets in urban areas.”
However, the pilot project for the planned population census will be conducted this month. At least 328.2bn/- will be spent for the exercise that is set to be conducted in both Tanzania Mainland and Tanzania Zanzibar on August 28, 2022.
According to the Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, 95 per cent of the cost will be footed by the government and the remaining 5 per cent will come from developing partners.
The cost for conducting population census appears to have slightly dropped from 2.76 US dollars in the 2012 nationwide exercise to 2.16 UD dollar or (3472.2/-) per head in 2022.
The average cost for conducting population census in Africa is between 2.1 and 5.1 US dollars. Tanzania spent roughly 1.16 US dollars during its 2002 exercise and since 1961, the country has held a census once every 10 years.
