Despite pressure mounted to boycott the 2021 Mid-Term census by the 13 opposition parties and the World Bank followed by the European Union (EU), the Mid-Term Census kick-off last week with a proportional magnitude of refusals from the public, and the results are expected to be revealed by the end of February 2022.
Investigations conducted by this reporter at the premises of statistics Sierra Leone revealed that in the 2015 census which was conducted by Statistics Sierra Leone, the North has a population a total population of 2.5 million inhabitants with 36% followed by the East with 1.6 million inhabitants at 23%, the west came 3rd place with 1.5 million inhabitants at 21% followed by the South with 1.4 million inhabitants.
Observers say drastic changes should be expected in the ongoing mid-term census owing to migrating, birth, or death reasons. Another school of thought holds that the call by the opposition parties to its supporters and members not to take part in the exercise have also contributed to non-compliance in many parts of the country.
The Sierra Leone Police have informed Journalists at a press briefing held on 9th November 2021 at its George Street Headquarters that the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone is constitutionally mandated to hold census at his discretion and not strictly after every 10 years as perceived by a cross-section of society. Members of the Sierra Leone Police have also cautioned the public to cooperate with the exercise.
