By Amin Kef Sesay
His Excellency, the President, Julius Maada Bio, in the evening hours of the 27th November 2021 addressed the nation, via radio and television broadcast, an address that focused mainly on the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census.
The President stated that in July 2020, he proclaimed the conduct of a Mid-Term Population and Housing Census to be held in December 2020, which according to him, was postponed to 2021 due to the global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as international technical experts could not travel and the shipment of 20,000 electronic tablets from Kenya was delayed.
The First Gentleman continued that throughout the process, Sierra Leone has received significant support from her friends and partners, especially the President and Government of the Republic of Kenya, the World Bank, UNFPA, UNECA, UNICEF, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, and the Mano River Union.
“From within Sierra Leone, we have also received tremendous support from the Parliament, Political Parties, Paramount Chiefs, Local Councils, the Statistics Sierra Leone Council, Civil Society Organizations and the Media,” President Bio disclosed furthering how in readiness, he was informed by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development that Statistics Sierra Leone has completed and updated digital cartographic maps, conducted a digital pilot census to gain experience and learn lessons and set up solid technological infrastructure and processes for managing data.
The President told the nation that Statistics Sierra Leone has also recruited and will soon commence the training of 15,000 field staff, including enumerators, supervisors, IT, and administrative support staff.
President Bio highlighted that they are conducting this 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census for three key reasons: To correct the anomalies of the 2015 Population and Housing Census, to provide credible and reliable data that will help plan, implement,
and monitor development interventions by the Government of Sierra Leone and development partners in respect of the current Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023 and the follow up national Plan and thirdly to prepare the country for the next Population and Housing Census.
The Chief Executive Officer stated how this will be the first-ever digital census in Sierra Leone adding that the country will thus join other African nations like Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia and Liberia in using technology and digitalization to conduct a census.
He intimated that the digital technology used will ensure that households, villages, and towns that were not reached in previous censuses are reached this time and enumerated.
That approach, he justified, also assures that all inhabitants and housing structures throughout Sierra Leone will be fully covered averring that digital data generated therefore will provide an excellent sampling frame for conducting subsequent statistical surveys.
The President asserted that additionally, statistical indicators derived from the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census will also show the progress the country has made since the 2015 Census and what challenges need to be addressed in the overall development of the country.
He told Sierra Leoneans that Statistics Sierra Leone will therefore commence a two-week electronic enumeration of everyone in the sovereign territory of Sierra Leone from the 10th to the 23rd of December 2021stating how during the census exercise, Statistics Sierra Leone will collect administrative, demographic, social, and economic information on all persons.
“We need to know how many people live in Sierra Leone and where they live,” President Bio emphatically stated maintaining that by knowing where people live, what their living conditions are, and what development challenges they face, his Government and development partners can better plan and implement investments in their communities.
“Our development partners and my Government are firmly committed to ensuring objectivity, transparency, and professionalism throughout the census exercise,” he affirmed urging every citizen to participate fully in this exercise.
“I, therefore, declare the night of 9th December 2021 as Census Night, and the 10th of December 2021, as the date for the start of electronic enumeration for the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census for Sierra Leone,” President Bio concluded his address.
