A high-powered delegation of technical experts from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the United States Census Bureau (USCB), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has concluded a five-day assessment mission at Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL).
The mission, conducted from January 13th to 17th, 2025, aimed to evaluate Stats SL’s preparedness to conduct the upcoming 2025 Population and Housing Census. The assessment focused on identifying areas of support and collaboration to ensure a successful and accurate census. The experts utilized the Tool for Assessing Statistical Capacity (TASC) to evaluate Stats SL’s technical capabilities across various areas, including institutional capacity, planning, mapping, sampling, data collection, processing, analysis, and dissemination.
The assessment revealed that Stats SL possesses the professional capacity to undertake a census and has made significant strides in its preparations, including stakeholder engagement and establishing a robust census coordination structure. However, areas requiring further capacity building and training include mapping, sampling, data processing, analysis, mobile data capture, publicity, questionnaire content, and testing.
The Statistician General and Chief Census Officer, Andrew Bob Johnny, expressed gratitude for the valuable insights provided by the assessment mission. He emphasized that the findings would be crucial in guiding the census planning and implementation process. Sibeso Mululuma, Officer-In-Charge of UNFPA Sierra Leone, commended Stats SL for its efforts and reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to providing ongoing support for the census.
Secretary to the President, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima, stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring citizen engagement and inclusivity throughout the census process. He highlighted that a special account has been established at the Bank of Sierra Leone to fund the census operations.
Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Barley, expressed the government’s full support for the census and its commitment to providing the necessary resources for its successful implementation. This assessment mission marks a crucial step in the preparation for the 2025 Population and Housing Census, ensuring that the data collected is accurate, reliable, and valuable for national development planning.
ABJ/APA