Chronicle Editor
Midlands Bureau Chief
THE 2022 Population and Housing Census is vital as it is the key informant of the country’s vision of becoming a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030.
Speaking during the 2022 Population and Housing Census level two supervisors training workshop at the Midlands State University (MSU) yesterday, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima said the measurement of the country’s achievement of Vision 2030 lies within the census programme.
There are 1 000 level two supervisors in the Midlands Province who will train 4 770 level three enumerators.
Minister Mavima said apart from crafting Government policy, census data is key to the country’s devolution agenda and a key driver of Midlands Provincial Economic Development Plan.
“The 2022 Population and Housing Census is vital as it is the key informant of the country’s vision of becoming a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030.
“Government is able to craft its socio-economic policies using results from the census.
‘As a province and nation as a whole, census results are key in our devolution agenda to inform the equitable sharing of resources and revenues as guided by population profiles, poverty profile and infrastructure quality,” he said.
Minister Mavima said devolution funds are disbursed to local authorities using a formula that takes into account population of wards, provinces and districts as provided by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat).
“In order to achieve our NDS1 thrust of transforming lives through accelerated, inclusive and result-based economic growth and development, there is a need for evidence based planning by making use of census and other surveys data from ZimStat,” he said
“The gross domestic product per capita figures released soon together with the housing and living conditions will help in assessing the living standards of the people.”
Minister Mavima said he was confident that personnel selected to carry out the census programme will do it with distinction.
Addressing the same workshop, MSU vice chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa said for any meaningful development to take place, the Government requires a sustainable information system that updates adequate statistical data.
“The census that is going to be held in the country is necessary for designing evidence-based strategy and policy for provincial and national development.
“For any meaningful development to take place, the Government requires a sustainable information system from ZimStat that updates adequate statistical data,” he said.
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