By Arret Jatta
The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS) has launched the 2024 housing and population census which will start May/June 2024. According to GBOS, the objective of the census is to provide statistics on demographic, social and economic characteristics of the population, household and housing characteristics.
Mr. Nyakasi Sanyang the Statistician General of GBOS said that the lack of up-to-date information about population always makes it difficult for policymakers in government and stakeholders to make informed decisions about the country’s development needs. “If policy making and planning are to be effective in impacting the lives of people, they cannot just be made on emotion or what we feel is proper but mostly made on facts.”
He urged the government, development partners and the public to help make this year’s census a success because it is everybody’s responsibility.
“The government wants to serve us better and to serve us better it needs to understand our needs and conditions and this is one key reason of conducting this exercise”, Sanyang said.
The Representative of World Bank Ms. Feyi Boroffice for her part said the World Bank is incredibly pleased to note the progress registered so far.
“The official launching of the population census to be followed by the start ofenumeration phase of the census, demonstrates that significant efforts invested by the Gbos team and its stakeholders towards the successful implementation of the Gambia’s first digital census”, she remarked while commendingthe census team.
She adds that population censuses are important components of any statistical system and a key input for many statistical activities.
The Vice President of the Gambia Mr Muhammed BS Jallow who graced the gathering said that the occasion represented not only a data exercise, but also a testament to their commitment in production of current data for informed decision making, evidence based policies and efficient planning for sustainable development.
“The Gambia has a rich history of census undertaking dating back to 1881 since then censuses have regularly been conducted except the postponement of 1941 census due to the Second World War and the 1961 census”, he highlighted.
He also notes that population and housing census is a crucial undertaking by this country, since 1973 the Gambia has regularly participated in the census program, “the figures obtained from 2013 census played pivotal role in guiding, planning, policy formulation of program orientation, and monitoring development progress