Ahi census stalled

 CENSUS operations in the Ahi local level government area of Lae have been stalled since last week because the interviewers are holding onto census pads, The National reports.
This means the population between Bumbu compound to Poahom area bordering Situm, in Nawaeb district, have not been accounted for yet.
Disgruntled census officials spoke out over the weekend, saying they had been protesting for two weeks and had since held on to all 300 pads containing the forms for 65 respondents. 
The interviewers said there were around 360 officers covering the area who had yet to be given their advance payment of K40 a day for the seven-day counting exercise.
They claimed there was no training manual but they were expected by authorities to collect high quality data.
The officials said they were instead asked to accept a meal allowance of K105 for the seven-day period of the census.
The prolonged rainy period since last month also did not help interviewers who have been visiting the Ahi local level government office at Malahang for their payments.
The group of interviewers did not want to be named out of fear of being targeted individually by the authorities. 
Ahi census coordinator Kissu Lucas could not be reached for comments