By RPO North
Distance learning students at the College of Human Resources (COHRED) in Bombali District have pledged their support for the 2026 National Population and Housing Census following a comprehensive sensitisation session conducted by the Northern Regional Publicity Officer of Statistics Sierra Leone, Alusine Rehme Wilson.
The engagement, held at the COHRED campus on Friday, February 27, 2026, followed an earlier session with regular students and staff. The college administration had requested sustained outreach to ensure that both full-time and distance learners are adequately informed about the ongoing second phase of cartographic mapping and the national enumeration scheduled for December 2–15, 2026.
During the presentation, the RPO outlined the legal mandate of Statistics Sierra Leone under the Statistics Act of 2002, emphasising its role as an independent state institution responsible for conducting credible population and housing censuses every ten years to guide national development planning.
He explained that the ongoing cartographic mapping exercise lays the groundwork for a successful census. The process involves trained field personnel working in teams of six—five mappers and one team lead—assigned to specific sections and chiefdoms to identify and document all physical structures and key landmarks, including residential buildings, schools, health facilities, markets and recreational centres within clearly demarcated areas nationwide.
The RPO further highlighted that the second nationwide cartographic mapping phase is currently underway in the four Northern Region districts of Bombali, Falaba, Koinadugu and Tonkolili. He noted that this phase is designed to ensure that no community is overlooked and to establish the foundation for an inclusive, accurate and well-organised enumeration exercise in December.
Students were also briefed on the institutional frameworks supporting the 2026 census, including the Technical, Advisory and Publicity Committees, as well as sub-committees operating at national and district levels to promote transparency, professionalism and broad stakeholder participation.
Reaffirming the agency’s neutrality, the RPO stressed that Statistics Sierra Leone maintains strict independence and has zero tolerance for political interference, underscoring its commitment to producing reliable data in the public interest.
During the interactive session, distance programme students raised concerns stemming from the 2015 and 2021 census exercises, citing issues related to enumerator conduct, recruitment procedures, uneven deployment across districts, perceived regional population disparities and technical challenges involving equipment and network connectivity.
In response, the RPO acknowledged that minor operational challenges had occurred in previous censuses but assured students that significant reforms have been introduced ahead of the 2026 exercise. With support from the Government of Sierra Leone, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Irish Aid and other development partners, the agency has enhanced staff training, strengthened supervision, improved logistics, upgraded technology and intensified public communication strategies.
Students described the session as timely and informative, pledging to cooperate fully and to disseminate accurate census information within their homes and communities.
The engagement forms part of a broader regional awareness campaign across Bombali, Falaba, Koinadugu and Tonkolili districts, reinforcing the message that a credible census depends on informed citizens and that every Sierra Leonean counts.
