By: Fatmata Grace Okekearu, Bo City
Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has successfully concluded a five-day high-level technical review workshop at the Galliness Hotel in Bo City. The workshop focused on reviewing the instruments for the 2026 Population and Housing Census, including the Enumeration Manuals, listing forms, Monitoring and Reporting Templates, and the Independent Monitoring and Observation Process.
The purpose of the workshop was to ensure that all census procedures and instruments meet international standards. It brought together members of the Census Technical Committee (CTC) and senior technical staff from Stats SL. The event served as a platform for harmonizing census tools and strengthening institutional readiness for one of Sierra Leone’s most important national data efforts.
Declaring the workshop open, National Census Coordinator Mr. Abdulai Brima emphasized the importance of the exercise. He explained that the validation process aimed to ensure scientific accuracy and operational effectiveness, ensuring a credible and evidence-based census that will inform national planning and policymaking.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Mohamed Kpana-Gbato Kemokai, the Council Representative for Stats SL in the Southern Region, commended the participants for their commitment to the census process. He praised the inclusive and collaborative approach taken by Stats SL’s leadership, calling it a reflection of the institution’s dedication to national development. Mr. Kemokai also reaffirmed the region’s full support for the success of the 2026 Population and Housing Census.
During the intensive five-day session, participants engaged in group discussions and technical presentations to review, refine, and validate key census instruments. The focus was on ensuring clarity, consistency, and operational alignment across all enumeration procedures. Special attention was given to improving supervisory mechanisms for enumerators, enhancing data collection efficiency, and strengthening monitoring systems to improve accountability.
Cartographic consultant Dr. Foluke Adebayor praised the professionalism and teamwork displayed by the participants. She noted that the validated instruments would enhance data reliability and comparability, aligning Sierra Leone’s census standards with international benchmarks.
Mr. Moses Williams, Chairman of the Stats SL Council, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to transparency and accountability throughout the census process. He stressed the importance of the Monitoring and Reporting Templates, as well as the Independent Monitoring and Observation Process, in ensuring public trust and credibility in the final census results.
In his closing remarks, the Statistician General and Chief Executive Officer of Stats SL, Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny, expressed gratitude to all participants for their active engagement and dedication. He described the workshop as a milestone in the census preparation process, emphasizing Stats SL’s commitment to delivering a world-class, technology-driven, and inclusive census.
The successful completion of the five-day workshop underscores Stats SL’s readiness to conduct a technically robust, credible, and transparent 2026 Population and Housing Census, which will generate reliable data for sustainable national development.
