By Amara Thoronka
President Julius Maada Bio has pronounced the conduct of a nationwide Population and Housing Census in December this year. The declaration was made in an address to the nation on Monday, 9th September, 2024, in which the President emphasized the importance of census and data in guiding government’s priorities and interventions.
“By the order made by the Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 2024, I now direct that a Population and Housing Census of all inhabitants of Sierra Leone be conducted from the 2nd to 15th December 2025. Therefore, I declare the night of 1st December 2025 as Census Night and the 2nd December 2025 as the date for the commencement of a nationwide 2025 Population and Housing Census for Sierra Leone,” the President pronounced.
It could be recalled that on Thursday, 8th August, 2024, Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 2024, regarding the conduct of a nationwide Population and Housing Census was successfully laid in Parliament; and as per stipulated regulations, on the 29th August, 2024, the said Statutory Instrument became effective, following twenty-one days from its laying in Parliament.
It could also be recalled that, in 2021, a Mid-Term Population and Housing Census was conducted, which, according to President Bio, was among other reasons, to prepare for the recently announced census.
“The data from this decennial census in 2025 will guide the implementation of various development programmes, primarily the 2024-2030 Medium Term National Development Plan and our efforts to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals. This Census will provide reliable baseline data to assess the impact of critical development interventions on both these guiding instruments with a contemporary deadline of 2030,” he explained.
The President added that: “Through statistical insights derived from this census, we will track our progress and identify challenges crucial to our national development agenda.”
His Excellency the President noted that in a bid to build on the success of the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census, his government will leverage Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) for the 2025 Population and Housing Census.
President Bio assured stakeholders in the conduct of the proclaimed census of his government’s support to ensure that the exercise becomes a success.
“My government will commit considerable financial and logistical resources to support this 2025 Population and Housing Census. We will collaborate with our esteemed partners such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the United States Census Bureau through USAID, and others, to ensure the success of this important national endeavor,” he guaranteed.
The President cited that he had been advised by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development on the state of preparedness for the 2025 Population and Housing Census, adding that: “In accordance with its functions, Statistics Sierra Leone shall have the general supervision and management in the conduct of the 2025 Population and Housing Census.”
This is not the first national census in the country as Sierra Leone has a long history of conducting censuses, dating back to the earliest census in 1802 and followed by modern-day censuses in 1963, 1974, 1985, 2004, and 2015.
In his address to the nation, President Julius Maada Bio referenced the said previously conducted censuses, noting that the forthcoming decennial census in December of this year would be a continuation of the legacies of past censuses.
