By Kadijatu Bangura
Freetown, 26 March 2026 Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a credible, inclusive, and people-centred 2026 Population and Housing Census, following the successful completion of a three-day self-evaluation workshop on the Pilot Census conducted in December 2025.
The workshop brought together senior management and technical staff of Stats SL, census coordinators, district census officers, publicity officers, field supervisors and monitors, data analysts, subject matter specialists, representatives from key government ministries, departments and agencies, and members of the donor community.
Officials said the exercise provided an opportunity to critically assess the pilot’s outcomes and generate practical recommendations to strengthen the quality, transparency, and reliability of the upcoming national census.
The organisers said the primary objective of the workshop was to review operational and technical processes, identify strengths and gaps, and propose measures that will improve future census activities. Participants discussed administrative and field operations, data collection methodologies, logistics, stakeholder engagement, and the effective use of technology during the pilot phase.
In his remarks, the *Statistician General of Stats SL, Andrew Bob Johnny, stated that the self-assessment demonstrates the institution’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. He noted that lessons learned from the pilot census will play a critical role in refining strategies for the successful execution of the main census enumeration scheduled for *December 2026.
Also speaking at the workshop, *Mr. Samuel Palmer, representing the **United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), underscored the importance of a national census as a foundation for planning, resource allocation, and sustainable development. He reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to supporting the Government of Sierra Leone and Stats SL to deliver a *credible and inclusive census, while emphasizing collaboration, capacity building, and the adoption of international best practices.
Participants said the interactive sessions provided a platform for sharing experiences, addressing challenges encountered during the pilot, and proposing innovative solutions. They added that the conclusions from the workshop are expected to inform key decisions, including improvements in training, deployment strategies, public awareness campaigns, and data collection and management systems.
For more information, contact Daily Scope Newspaper at dailyscopemedia@gmail.com.
