A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the National Statistical Office and the Simbu Provincial Government was signed recently to mark Simbu Provincial Government’s commitment to participate in the upcoming National Population Census. The Simbu Provincial Government vowed its commitment through the provincial Administrator John Punde who signed the MOA during the weeklong Highland regional workshop conducted in Jiwaka province last week. Simbu Administrator Mr. Punde at the signing of the memorandum highlighted that Census is critical for national development planning and that data is important for the government to do its planning by knowing its demographic, social indicators and economic activity happening in the country. “Simbu province has a total population of 376,473 in the 2011 census; however, the figures might be dramatically increased in the last 13 years.” “Therefore, it is important that the provincial planners must know the exact number of people living in the province.” Mr Punde stated that most programs for this year have fixed budget set for them already and with the signing of the MOA for the National Census an adjustment will be made to facilitate this important program. “At the moment we cannot commit anything yet because at the administrative level we managed a program-based budget.” “Everything we do is a program based, we do a costing and attached a budget put the indicators, the KPIs which is already fixed for the financial year.” Mr. Punde raised this issue as a challenge for the Simbu provincial government which his finance manager has been task to pave a way forward to accommodate Census in Simbu province this year. He added that due to the significance of the national event, SPG has pledge support to the National Statistical Office to work in partnership for the conduct of Census in the six districts of Simbu Province. Meanwhile, National Statistician John Igitoi present at the signing thanked the Simbu provincial administrator for their support to the success of Census in Simbu Province. “I would like to thank Simbu Provincial Administrator John Punde and Governor Noah Kool for their commitment and support to the National Population Census in Simbu,” said Mr Igitoi. “The Memorandum of Agreement solidifies the partnership with all our provincial government and the National Statistical Office through a shared partnership and responsibility in ensuring this national event as sanctioned by the Marape-Rosso Government is conducted successfully in all our provinces.”