Gov’t to compile poverty statistics

Several government bodies have joined efforts to come up with official statistics of poverty levels in the country. The figures will help in addressing relevant problems affecting the community as a result of poverty and also come more adequate strategies to address the problem. The activity of compiling poverty data started in 2007 under the Ubudehe program with an aim of sourcing out those living in abject poverty and be given assistance. The Minister of Local Government, James Musoni, yesterday met with officials charged with data entry to take note of the progress made so far in coming up with suitable statistics regarding the status of poverty in the country. He advised them to consolidate their information with the figures compiled by the Rwanda National Institute of Statistics (RNIS). “This will contribute to implementing adequate policies aimed at moving up to a better quality of life within the social categories identified by the community,” Musoni told officials at the data entry centre. So far, the government has listed categories of people and the data entry officials are putting the information together to know how many people fall in each category. The categories are those in abject poverty, the very poor, the poor, the resourceful poor, the food rich and the money rich. Available statistics indicate that since 2007, there has been a tremendous decrease in the number of poor people. Ends