By: Saidu Jalloh
With support from World Bank, Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has on Thursday 5th December 2024 at Hotel 5/10 Freetown commenced training of field staff for the collection of data for the 2024/2025 Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey (SLIHS’24/25).
The SLIHS’24/25 project is identified to be part of the 30 million United States Dollars project sponsored by World Bank. The grant project started sometimes in September 2020 and still in continuation, ensuring that accurate data is collected.
The Chairman of Statistics Sierra Leone, Mr. Lloyd Jonathan Williams, with 28 years of Experience continuously working at the Statistics Sierra Leone in almost all Governments. He started working since 1984. He retired but he was called again to go and serve as Chairman of Statistics Sierra Leone.
Speaking on the impressive salaries, he said they intentionally prepare it that way so that people would be much more devoted in their data gathering process so it would be credible.
He recalled how previous workers have been so deceitful as he said they had mostly been working for the money. He however assured that they have gotten to a point where in no worker would bring in deceiving data, as they now have digital devices to track accurate information
He warned the applicants not to rely on their connections assuring them that it would not work this time around. He reinforced that the Statistics Office is not political and that they would have nothing to politicize. He strictly warned all applicants to rely on their efforts to do diligent work.
He emphasized that they were pretty much strict this time around and that was why they did not consider full time workers, students and other set of people whose applications identified them not be more committed during the process.
Mr. Williams said that Government rely on Statistics Sierra Leone for reliable data. So it has to be credible, otherwise the government could not plan well. “We are the way to development and we must serve our conscience well,” Mr. Williams added. He informed all the applicants that they would be doing the work together and not in isolation.
The Sierra Leone Integrated Housing Survey is a project for every 5 years according to how they supposed to undertake this project if all is well
Dr. Head of Communication and Project Coordinator narrated that the project was to develop statistical framework across all districts in the country. He emphasized that the survey is very important in planning and coordinating for the country , and it is a 30 million dollar project from World Bank which has started from 2020, fours already gone.
The first in the project was the Mid Term Census where digital tablets were used to collect data instead of paper. He said since then they have been going fully digital in coordinating statistics project.
He emphasized that the 30 million was a grant from World Bank and not a loan like in other countries. He said Sierra Leone is very lucky to receive such finding as a grant.
He said the SlHS is very crucial to inform the government on the poverty baseline.
He said the applicants own work is to ensure that the date they would be going out to collect should be credible at all cost. He said the data would be used by the Government and even international institutions, adding that they should put all their attention
He said after the first quarter of the seven days, all the applicants would be put into practical tests, to screen them and select those who would be more serious
He said the work has been very flexible with digital devices. He assured that they stand a chance to gain better salaries which would equally improve their lives.