Opposition political party leaders in Sierra Leone have expressed their displeasure with the outcome of the 2021 Mid-Term population and housing census results, saying they will resist it.
Leaders of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party, National Grand Coalition (NGC) party and other political parties on Tuesday 31 May 2022 described the controversial mid-term census result as “fraudulent” and “illegal”.
On Tuesday 31 May 2022, the Statistician General and CEO of Statistics Sierra Leone, Prof. Osman Alimamy Sankoh, who is also the Chief Census Officer made an official announcement of the Provisional Results of the 2021 Mid-Term Census conducted by the government, stating that the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone has more population than the Capital City Freetown which is the Western Area of Sierra Leone.
According to the Chief Census Officer, “The Eastern Region has a population of 1,939,122 with 953,601 males and 985,521 females” whilst “the Western Area has a population of 1,268,757 with 621,272 with 621,272 males and 647,485 females”.
Speaking during a meeting hosted at the national secretariat of the main opposition APC in Freetown, shortly after the announcement of the mid-term census results, the APC Secretary General of the 21-Man Committee, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, clearly sounded his party’s total resistance against the mid-term census results, describing it as ‘illegal’ and ‘fraudulent’. Hon. Kargbo informed APC members drawn from across the country that “the APC will resist the mid-term census results”.
Also joining the APC in condemning the much discredited mid-term census results was the Chairman and Leader of NGC, Dr Dennis Bright, who categorically stated: “I have told you media guys long ago and cautioned that the mid-term census is not credible. Now the figures in the Western Areas have become so small. But we are not surprised at it because we were not expecting much from a fraudulent process like that since day one.”
Dr Bright, who is also a leading member of the Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (COPPP), meanwhile said: “I need to digest the results properly so that I can be well placed to talk on it. But the whole mid-term census process is not credible.”
In reading the results of the mid-term housing and population census, which was in limbo as many people in the country refused to be counted, Prof Osman Sankoh stated: “Starting with the Eastern Region: Kailahun District has a total population of 545,947 with 267,586 males and 278,361 females. Kenema District has a total population of 772,472 with 374,183 males and 398,289 females. Kono District has a population of 620,703 with 311,832 males and 308,871 females.
“For the North-eastern Region: Bombali District has a population of 387,236 with 186,824 males and 200,412 females. Falaba District has a population of 166,205 with 83,622 males and 82,583 females. Koinadugu District has a population of 206, 133 with 102,364 males and 103,769 females. Tonkolili District has a population of 557,257 with 282,127 males and 275,130 females.
“For the North-Western Region: Kambia District has a population of 367,699 with 188, 560 males and 179, 139 females. Karene District has a population of 290,313 with 147,124 males and 143, 189 females. Port Loko District has a population of 528,038 with 253,790 males and 274,248 females.
“For the Southern Region: Bo District has a population of 756,975 with 366,346 males and 390,629 females. Bonthe District has a population of 297, 561 with 149,555 males and 148,006 females. Moyamba District has a population of 346,771 with 167,836 males and 178,935 females. Pujehun District has a population of 429, 574 with 213,242 males and 216,332 females.
“Western Area: Western Area Rural has a total population of 662,056 males and 330,722 females. Western Area Urban has a total population of 606,701 with 289,938 males and 316,763 females.”
He said Further: “The Eastern Region has a population of 1,939,122 with 953,601 males and 985,521 females. The North-eastern Region has a total population of 1,316,831 with 654,937 males and 661,894 females. The North-western Region has a total population of 1,186,050 with 589,474 males and 596,576 females. The Southern Region has a total population of 1,830,881 with 896,979 males and 933,902 females. The Western Area has a population of 1,268,757 with 621,272 with 621,272 males and 647,485 females.”
In conclusion, the Chief Census Officer stated that the population of Sierra Leone from the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census is 7,541,641 with 3,716,263 males and 3,825,378 females making a sex ratio of 0.97 in favour of females.
“There are 109,121 women more than men in Sierra Leone,” he stated, saying: “There is a total increase in the population from 2015 to 2021 of 449,528 which is 6% more than the 2015 population.
“Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to emphasise that this is the population of people who slept in Sierra Leone on the night of December 10th in the various localities, Chiefdoms, district and regions.”
