The National Bureau of Statistics has no resources to conduct any Population Census if it were to be asked by the government, its head has said.

South Sudan has not conducted any census since it gained independence from the Sudan in 2011.

The last census was conducted by the Sudanese government in 2009 before the 2010 elections.

Speaking during the celebration of World Statistics Day on Tuesday in Juba, the Chairperson, Isaiah Chol Aruai raised the alarm over the lack of funds to begin preparations for the conduct of such a census.

“If there are no resources available for us even to collect CPI, one wonders where will the money come from to be used for the census? We are still waiting for political direction,” Chol said.

“The question whether there is going to a census or election are political decisions and they have to be directed and if you recall in the revitalized peace agreement, chapter one, it is a must to have a census. You can’t have an election without census but if a political decision says you must have election without census, it is political.”

“We will see how they are going to do it and what mechanism they are going to use. In the agreement now there is a provision for a census to be done prior to the election.”

The population in South Sudan was estimated at 12 million, but the results were disputed by the then government of Southern Sudan.

According to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, the current government shall conduct a national Population Census before the end of the transitional period.

The transitional period is expected to end in 2023, followed by the first general elections.