By Sallieu S. Kanu
Freetown, Sierra Leone — August 5, 2025: The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has emphasized the importance of conducting a fair, inclusive, and credible national census in December 2026. Speaking during a high-level engagement with senior media practitioners at the Ministry’s conference hall on Tuesday, Bah underscored that “everyone must be counted” and warned against both undercounting and overcounting.
“Census Is Not Political Gamesmanship”
Minister Bah stressed that the census must be approached with rigor and transparency, stating, “Census is not a political gamesmanship. It requires a certain amount of rigor and credibility. It will be an open process, and we will ensure that no one is left behind. Let us not undermine the census.”
He revealed that the census strategy has been validated, messaging reviewed, and a logo approved. A simple slogan—“Census 2026: Be Counted”—has been adopted to encourage public participation and awareness.
Samuel Ansumana, Director of Communication and Public Relations at Statistics Sierra Leone, announced that training for cartographers will commence on August 12, with a pilot census scheduled for December 2025. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to inclusivity, noting that “all political parties are involved in the process and are part of the technical committee observing the mapping exercise.”
Special populations will be targeted to ensure comprehensive coverage, and efforts are underway to make the census as representative as possible.
Ansumana disclosed that the total funding requirement for the census stands at US$37 million. The government has already committed US$17 million for the procurement of vehicles, motorbikes, and other essential equipment. Additionally, US$2.5 million has been allocated directly to Statistics Sierra Leone.
Development partners have also pledged support, and Ansumana expressed optimism: “We are expecting to get the funding. We have partners who are helping us.”
The December 2026 census is expected to play a critical role in shaping policy, development planning, and resource allocation. Authorities are calling on citizens, civil society, and political actors to support the process and ensure that every individual is counted.