MISINFORMATION ON THE RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA OUTBURST OF THE BURNING OFCENSUS MATERIALS DURING THE BLACK WEDNESDAY MAYHEM

National Statistician : John Aseavu Igitoi

Authorized by:

 John Aseavu Igitoi

National Statistician 

Port Moresby

21st March 2025

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea — In light of recent social media outburst on the burning down of a warehouse operated by Post PNG that contained Census Materials. The National Statistical Office (NSO) wishes to clarify and correct this misinformation.

NSO and Post PNG – Storage Service Agreement

NSO has a binding Storage & Logistics Services Agreement with Post PNG. Post PNG has been a major partner in providing storage and logistics services since it was contracted by NSO to provide storage and logistics services since 2019. Because of this agreement, Post PNG as the service provider has the prerogative to supply NSO with the above services in its entirety at a location deemed necessary for use and management.

The old warehouse at the former PNG Ports Wharf was dismantled because of the redevelopment exercise there. Post PNG arranged for NSO cargoes to be moved to another location at Konedobu, next to Desh Besh Supermarket. The storage facility that got burnt was the one next to Desh Besh Supermarket where we both (NSO and Desh Besh) share the same gate; Section 36, Lot 3, Lawes Road, Konedobu. 

Details of Census Materials and Funding Source

The destroyed census materials were procured in 2021 through NPC Tender (APC Registration No.: 01/2021, 02/2021 and 03/2021) worth K14.1m and a further K800,000 worth of materials were from previous pilot census and other surveys that was conducted by NSO but were never used. NSO lost the following items worth almost K15m;

A)   2021 Census Printed Documents – over 60 different types of documents

B)    2021 Census Stationery – over 17 different types of stationery

C)   2021 Field Gears – over 6 different types of field gears

D)   Census Accounts Files (2019-2022) including 2x containers

E)    Office Furniture & Equipment

Any other information that, NSO lost the tablets in the fire are untrue as they have not arrived in the country yet at that time. The tablets that were used in this Census arrived

in the country in June 2024 a few weeks before the enumeration. Furthermore, the tablets were procured as soon as funds became available in March 2024 after the ‘Black Wednesday’ mayhem. The 22,000 tablets were stored in our forward bases at Hohola and Waigani and distributed to all 22 provinces from there.

Post PNG’s response to NSO

On the 19th of January 2024 after the incident, Post PNG wrote to the NSO informing us of the destruction and damages caused by opportunists. Through their contractual obligation, Post PNG took proactive steps in informing the Polic0e (OB No.: 55/24) and the State of Emergency Controller on the same whilst deeply regretting the incident that took place. 

For those who think that NSO is lying about this can visit our destroyed warehouse next to Desh Besh supermarket, Section 36, Lot 3, Lawes Road, Konedobu and confirm your assertion.

The Conduct of 2024 Census and the use of Tablets

NSO has lost almost everything which was procured in 2021/2022 and stored for the conduct of the deferred 2024 National Population Census. Those procured items were not used because of the 2022 NGE and the Covid 19 Pandemic that made the NSO defer the Census to 2024.

We conducted the 2024 Census using tablets that were procured separately from the materials that were damaged as a proactive measure as time was against us. In doing so the use of tablets has helped the enumeration and synchronization process faster and in real time. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, NSO has strictly followed set procurement procedures in the procurement of census materials with detailed documentation. The materials procured in 2021 through NPC Tender process were destroyed in the fire and none of the items we procured in 2024 were destroyed.

NSO and Post PNG will have a combined Press Conference to verify our stand whilst nullifying all those commentaries from social media pundits who are hyped up by their incapabilities to ascertain truths from assumptions.