By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The provisional result of the just-concluded midterm census shows that the population of Sierra Leone increased by four hundred and forty-nine thousand, five hundred twenty-eight (449,528) 6 percent more, from the last data recorded in 2015.
The population of the just-announced midterm census shows a total of seven million, five hundred and forty-one thousand, six hundred and forty-one (7,541,641), as compared to seven million and ninety-two thousand, one hundred and thirteen (7,092,113) that was recorded in the census of 2015.
National Census Coordinator of Statistics Sierra Leone, Abdulai Brima told the gathering at their Freetown headquarters during the presentation of the report on the census outcome, that in July 2020, President Julius Maada Bio proclaimed that the country was to conduct the first digital midterm census.
He said the president gave the responsibility to Stats-SL to carry out the process and that led them to establish a Secretariat Committee and a National Technical Committee involving people from other technical institutions who can give relevance to the process.
‘’That was why we involved the University of Sierra Leone as one of the institutions for the process,’’ he said.
Brima pointed out that they also formed a Publicity Committee that comprises all media houses and an Advisory Committee that represented all political parties in the country.
‘’So whatever we deliberated on at the secretariat, will be first discussed at the technical committee, and after they have made their input, we take it to the advisory committee for permission to undertake the process,’’ he said.
He said they also engaged International Partners, saying census is not just a domestic process but one that requires the help of international partners and countries with experiences to share. He said they reached out to the World Bank, UN family, and institutions that have conducted digital censuses within Africa for consultancy and technical support.
He spoke about the 20,000 tablets and power banks used for data collection throughout the process that came from Kenya and the involvement of the Ghana Statistical Service from inception, to help them develop the computer system and assist in the personal interview of workers.
Following the release of the census report, opposition politicians have largely expressed their doubts about the authenticity of not just the report but also the process reason for which they said they had earlier warned their members and supporters not to take part in the census by allowing themselves to be counted. They also accused the government of wanting to use the result of the census for electioneering purposes
However, the census according to the Statistician-General of Statistics Sierra Leone, Professor Osman Sankoh was to provide credible data for national development, policy planning, and interventions.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (03/06/22)
