Statistic Sierra Leone has commenced the training of Cartographic Mapping officers simultaneously in all 16 districts of Sierra ahead of the Mid-Term Population and Housing Census.
Speaking on the importance of cartographic mapping, the Deputy Statistician General, Andrew Bob Johnny said this was the first time an Electronic Census is happening in the country, but that at the end, it will help to generate credible population and housing data Mid-way between the census in 2015 and 2025.
He said that the main reasons for the Mid-Term census were to address challenges of the Census in 2015, lay the foundation for the primary census in 2025; acquire a credible population and housing data covering all enumeration areas, locality types and update base maps of Sierra Leone that will provide a credible sample frame for intra-censual activities.
The National Census Coordinator, Abdulai Brima said the training is scheduled to last for a week and thereafter, the actual mapping will commence immediately. He appealed to all participants to take the work seriously as the nation was “totally dependent on you to do your work accurately in order to produce good results.”
The Statistician General and Chief Census officer, Professor Osman Sankoh, thanked President Julius Maada Bio and the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr Francis Kai-Kai for their trust in the institution to conduct the 2021 Mid-Term Census.
He encouraged participants to take advantage of the expert knowledge in the institution stating that there are well trained and qualified personnel that the trainees can learn from. He assured that there will be “absolutely no risk to staff and respondents during the cartographic mapping and actual census taking as all Covid-19 guidelines will be adhered to being that only the head of households will be interviewed to account for their dependents.”
The Cartographic mapping process according to officials of the institution is the foundation on which the Mid-term Population and housing census will be executed.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
Sierra Leone to Conclude Labour Agreement with Kuwait
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Haja Ishata Thomas has in an engagement with Fadhel Ashkanani Group assured of work being done to complete the signing and rectification of the Labour agreement between the two countries.
The engagement with the manager according to a report by the mission’s press attaché, Cyril Barnes was in relation to the possible recruitment of skilled and unskilled Sierra Leoneans to work in Kuwait.
The ambassador told her guest that “the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Sierra Leone will conclude the signing and ratification of the Labour Agreement soon. The Labour Agreement will protect Sierra Leoneans from being maltreated and improve their working and living conditions. It is our hope that this will create better employment opportunities for our youths in Sierra Leone.”
Ambassador Haja Ishata Thomas thanked Hamad Al-Sharaf Ashkanani for the support towards Sierra Leoneans in Kuwait, particularly the provision of $5000 coupled with a covering cost of air ticket for Hawanatu Timbo, a Sierra Leonean who was maltreated in that country.
She said although they were seeking employment opportunities for youths to alleviate the employment burden on the Government of Sierra Leone, they were not oblivious of the constraints faced by Sierra Leoneans in the State of Kuwait, especially visa 20 holders.
Ambassador Thomas also appealed for assistance with air tickets for two Sierra Leonean housemaids, who are currently in a deportation centre awaiting repatriation to Sierra Leone.
The Minister Counselor, Momodu Wurie, in his remarks, commented on the challenges that had plagued the recruitment process leading to a ban imposed on Visa 20 in 2017.
He also emphasized that the Embassy would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Fadhel Ashkanani Company to sanitize the recruiting process. This, he believed, would be in the best interest of the Embassy, its citizens and the recruiting agency.
In his response, Hamad Al-Sharaf Ashkana, General Manager Fadhel Ashkanani Group’s updated the Embassy on their operations and promised his maximum commitment to protecting the welfare of Sierra Leoneans intending to work in the State of Kuwait by ensuring best practices are firmly upheld in the course of the recruitment process.
“There are demands for skilled and unskilled workers in Kuwait. In the past one year, Kuwait has lost approximately 250,000 workers due to COVID-19 travel restrictive measures. This is the appropriate time for skilled and unskilled Sierra Leoneans to fill in the job market, especially when the Kuwaiti Government is striving for a quota for all nationals working in Kuwait,” he said.
Mr Ashkanani assured of his unwavering support in repatriating Sierra Leoneans and also his dedication to strengthening the friendly relationship between his company and the Embassy.
Fadhel Ashkanani Group is a specialized agency responsible for recruiting thousands of skilled and unskilled workers in Asia and Africa to work in Kuwait
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
