All set for Sudan's national census, says official

March 26, 2008 (Juba NSV) - Preparations for the national census slated for April 15th 2008 are complete and the process will kick off as planned regardless of the approaching rainy seasons, Chol Alier, state council member for census revealed yesterday in Juba.

Chol Alier said officers had been trained and that mapping of enumeration areas in Southern Sudan had been done and reiterated that the process was on regardless of the approaching rainy season, ending fears of further postponement of the process.

He said his team had been monitoring areas with insecurity problems in southern Sudan and that the government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) had been briefed on the matter.

The official said procurement of census material had been done and that the process is ready to commence come April 15 2008. He called on the government of southern Sudan and the government of national unity to co-operate for effective coordination to make the national census a success.

Chol Alier made the revelations during his meeting with GoSS Minster for Information and broadcasting, His Excellency Gabriel Chanson Chang in Juba.

On his part, His Excellency Gabriel Changson Chang said that census was important so as to determine the population of Sudan and called on Government of Southern Sudan and the Government of national unity to work together to facilitate the much publicized census which failed to take place last year. He said his ministry is working hard to enlighten the citizens of southern Sudan on the importance of the process.

The monitoring and observation committees for census is scheduled to hold a meeting on (March 26) at Nyakuoren Cultural center in Juba to discuss the way forward regarding the census. The meeting will be attended by delegates all over Sudan and even the Diaspora to discuss the fate of the census.

According to him the meeting will be addressed by the Government of Southern Sudan Vice President, Dr. Riak Machar.