By: Audrey Raymonda John
In a bid to strengthen international collaboration for the successful execution of the 2026 Decennial Population and Housing Census (PHC ’26), Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) held a strategic engagement with the Embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone.
The high-level meeting brought together key stakeholders, including: Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny, Statistician-General, Stats SL, Ms. Carol Hannon, Head of Development, Irish Embassy, Ms. Sibeso Mululuma, Officer-in-Charge, UNFPA Sierra Leone, Mr. Abdulai Salliah Brima, National Census Coordinator & Director of Censuses & GIS, Stats SL, Mr. Edouard Talnan, Chief Technical Adviser, PHC ’26, Mr. Alfred Kamanda, Director of Finance, Stats SL, Mr. Samuel Palmer, Quality Assurance, UNFPA Sierra Leone and Mr. Samuel Ansumana, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Stats SL.
Statistician-General Mr. Johnny delivered a comprehensive update on PHC ’26 preparations. He outlined the Government of Sierra Leone’s financial commitment of over $22 million, which covers key components such as cartographic mapping, census publicity, procurement of IT infrastructure, and overall planning and logistics.
Despite this significant investment, he noted a remaining funding gap of $15 million and called on the international donor community and private sector to support this vital national initiative.
In response, Ms. Carol Hannon emphasized the critical role of quality data in driving national development. She underscored the census as a foundational tool for producing reliable and comprehensive statistics, expressing optimism for future collaboration. She also pledged to follow up with Stats SL on possible avenues for technical or financial support from Ireland.
Ms. Sibeso Mululuma of UNFPA reinforced this sentiment, highlighting the importance of in-kind and technical contributions, particularly from Ireland’s national statistical agency, to ensure that the census meets international standards. She reaffirmed UNFPA’s full commitment to coordinating and managing all donor-related support for the process.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with shared enthusiasm and commitment from all parties to deliver a credible, inclusive, and high-quality 2026 Decennial Population and Housing Census.