In 2021 before the commencement of the Mid-Term Population and Housing Census, we remembered Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), population experts, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society organizations were on radio, television and print media emphasizing the importance of a population and housing census and the need for every citizen to be counted in the census exercise. As indicated by Stats SL, the purpose of the census was to review the last census exercise, look at any of its reported challenges particularly with the type 3 localities for which there was a coding challenge, and try to address them. They also wanted to amongst other things, evaluate progress made since the last primary census in 2015, test the use of Computer-Assisted Data Collection in a census and rehearse for the next full or primary census. As civil society, the 2021 Mid Term Population and Housing Census has been key in our activities, because it focuses on the attainment of the government’s development agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals especially SDG 4 (Education). Therefore, we did not wait to be called but we presented ourselves as civil society to participate in the process through our key mandate of observation, monitoring and participation. We want the public to know that we observed and participated in almost all the undermentioned processes together with other civil society organizations as required by law:
· Locality Verification
· Cartographic mapping
· Recruitment and Training of Field staffs in Freetown and some districts
· The enumeration or collection of data at households in hard to reach communities across Sierra Leone
· We engaged the leadership of Statistics Sierra Leone right through the process from the day the announcement was made of a Mid Term Population Census till the announcement of the results As civil society, we want to stress that we can validate the processes which we participated in and that the work done by Statistics Sierra Leone is something which is very commendable.
We therefore appreciate the expert technical work that has been done by Statistics Sierra Leone and we can vouch from our monitoring that previously uncovered territories in censuses were this time covered in Sierra Leone. We civil society believe that, any development activity should be informed by credible and reliable data like that which has been generated by Stats SL that will help to hold duty bearers accountable if there are any defaults. We are calling on all development partners, Ministries Department and Agencies to always call on Statistics Sierra Leone for reliable data for any development activity they may want to carry out in any of our communities in the country. This is because, We now have an accurate geographic frame for Sierra Leone that collected a wide range of facility data like health, education, religious institutions, markets, prisons, courts, fuel stations, hotels, recreational areas, forest reserves etc. which is critical for planning purposes. With support from partners including UN ECA, we witnessed first-hand technical consultants coming in massive to ensure that proper technical work was guaranteed. Therefore, the data as presented by Statistics Sierra Leone are correct and reliable and should be used for its intended purpose. We moved about during the process to monitor and can confirm that despite efforts by some people to trigger civil disobedience of some sects of the populace not to be counted, there was a surge in enumeration when the toll free line 881 was opened and most of these who had earlier rejected called and they were duly enumerated As citizens, embracing the census report is of utmost importance especially since the data produced will assist the government in determining the social and economic status of the country’s citizens, particularly vulnerable individuals and households. It will also assist the government in determining the skills required to assist the manufacturing and service sectors of the economy whilst assisting policymakers in developing a practical and realistic development strategy. We will end by appreciating and thanking the Statistician General and Chief Census Officer and his team of professional staff for their first-rate job, our international partners for their financial and technical support as well as the government of Sierra Leone for stepping in when needed most to ensure that the process came out successfully. We are now proud to be among the first set of countries that have done a digital census. We also implore Statistics Sierra Leone to also ensure that all issues pertaining outstanding payments to field staff be resolved immediately.