Rwf16 billion earmarked for National Census

The National census, scheduled for August this year, will cost Rwf 16.5 billion, according to Yusuf Murangwa, the Director General of the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).Murangwa said this recently while updating reporters on the planned census.“We have planned Rwf16.5 billion for the activity; 50 percent of the funding is expected from government, and our development partners like the UNFPA, World Bank and European Union are expected to fill the void,” he said.He added institutions like the National Police will also offer logistical support.Willy Gasafari, the head of census at the institute, in a subsequent interview, said the money will facilitate activities like sensitisation campaigns to enlighten Rwandans on the event, training of enumerators, counting and post enumeration activities like data collection and data analysis, and other activities involved.The National Census is conducted after every ten years; and it was last conducted in 2002.Meanwhile, the NISR has launched Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions for those who will conduct the census.Under this programme, over 270 officials will be trained in the TOT to extend the knowledge to 1,000 more people around the country. The trainees are in turn supposed to impart the skills to 24,000 people who will conduct the census.Murangwa called upon the public to participate fully in the census through providing accurate information required by enumerators and cooperating fully in the exercise.