Kpone fishermen stay at home for census.

Tema, March 28, GNA - Fishermen at Kpone on Monday expressed their unhappiness with the directive that they should stay at home to be counted on the first day of the National Population and Housing Census (NPHC).

The Chief of the town had caused gong-gong to be beaten on Sunday night that they should not go fishing but stay at home so that they could be enumerated. The Rev. Eliakim Tettey Muno, a Census Supervisor at Kpone, told the GNA that the fishermen complained because they would have to stay at home for two consecutive days, since they do not go fishing on Tuesdays.

However, they complied with the directive because of the respect that they have for their chief. He said the declaration of Monday as a holiday had created the impression that the census was for only one day, and there was, therefore, the need to carry out public education to tell the people that the exercise would last for two weeks.

Rev. Muno was among a number of Field Supervisors waiting at the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) to collect census materials. These included metal clips for supplementary questionnaire, files, clipboards, raincoats and Wellington boots.

The Supervisor said according to the Enumerator's Material Receipt List, they were to be given bicycles and motor bicycles depending on the circumstance. Mr Joseph T. Quarshie, a Field Supervisor for Nanoman, Kpone Bawaleshie and Saduase said he has been given additional responsibility for Oyibi and Frafraha because those areas have no supervisors and complained that he has to work on foot.

The enumerators said they were given only limited quantities of the special Certificate of Enumeration, meant to be issued to the floating population as an identification that they have been enumerated.

At Ashaiman, some enumeration areas overlapped at the Asenu-Roman area but the enumerators used their discretion to solve the problem. A Field Supervisor at Tema Manhean said some enumerators have already started calling for more hands in view of the large number of people they have to enumerate.

Census officials were given Police escort to count out-door sleepers near the Standard Chartered Bank, Casino, Community One market, the Community Centre and hotels on Monday night.

So far the enumerators said they have not encountered any problems with the public. They said some people were so kind that they served them with soft drinks.