By Osman Kargbo

A survey by Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (COPPP) in Sierra Leone has produced an empirical and factual evidence that exposes the falsity of the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census results released on Tuesday 31 May 2022 by Statistics Sierra Leone.

The Stats Sierra Leone census results state 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”, adding that “there are 109,121 women more than men in Sierra Leone”.

The results also state that “there is a total increase in the population from 2015 to 2021 of 449,528 which is 6% more than the 2015 population”.

However, the most bizarre, scary, queer and disputed statistics of the 2021 mid-term census by Stats Sierra Leone under the leadership of Professor Osman Alimamy Sankoh are the results that state that the Eastern and Southern regions of Sierra Leone are each having more population than the country’s people-congested and crammed capital city of Freetown.

According to Stats Sierra Leone’s 2021 mid-term census, “the Eastern Region has a population of 1,939,122 with 953,601 males and 985,521 females” and “the Southern Region has a total population of 1,830,881 with 896,979 males and 933,902 females”; whilst Freetown, which is “the Western Area, has a population of 1,268,757 with 621,272 males and 647,485 females”.

The results further show reduced populations in the Northern regions of Sierra Leone (the traditional strongholds of the largest opposition party) to a chilling, bloodcurdling, weird and perplexing level that would necessitate a further research, since there is no monopoly of knowledge and the capacity to conduct  a factual and proven research or survey to contest and verify the veracity of the 2021 mid-term census conducted by Stats Sierra Leone under the leadership of Statistician-General Prof. Osman Alimamy Sankoh.

“The North-eastern Region has a total population of 1,316,831 with 654,937 males and 661,894 females, (whilst) the North-western Region has a total population of 1,186,050 with 589,474 males and 596,576 females,” the census results state.

However, the results of “Have You Been Counted?” Survey conducted by COPPP via a KoBo Toolbox Online Data Collection platform proved something completely different from the 2021 mid-term census by Stats Sierra Leone.

According to the “Have You Been Counted?” Survey, with a sample population of 1,035 respondents, conducted between 29 December 2021 and 9 January 2022 (a 12-day period), the percentage of respondents in Western Area Urban is 44.6% and in Western Rural is 2.7%, whilst in Bo is 1.9%, Bombali 5.2%, Bonthe 0.1%, Falaba 0.3%, Kailahun 1.4%, Kambia 8.7%, Karene 5.8%, Kenema 12.1%, Koinadugu 0.5%, Kono 4.7%, Moyamba 4.0%, Port Loko 1.7%, Pujehun District 0.8%, and Tonkolili 5.5%. Of these respondents (the 1,035 people who took part in the survey), 669 or 64.6% are male and 366 or 35.4% are female.

The survey states that the percentage of respondents or people who did not see a census enumerator is 84.9%, the percentage of respondents or people who saw a census enumerator is 15.1%, and the percentage of respondents or people who saw a census enumerator and were counted by the enumerator is 4.8%.

The survey also state that of the people who responded to the question of whether they saw any census enumerators in their locality during the mid-term census: for Bo city, 1.5% said NO they did not see any enumerators and 4.5% said YES they did see enumerators; for Bombali 5.1% said NO and 5.8% said YES; for Bonthe 0.0% said NO and 0.6% said YES; for Falaba 0.2% said NO and 2.6% said YES; for Kailahun 0.1% said NO and 3.2% said YES; for Kambia 9.3% said NO and 5.1% said YES; for Karene 5.2% said NO and 9.0% said YES; for Kenema 13.2% said NO and 5.8% said YES; for Koinadugu 0.6% said NO and 0.0% said YES; for Kono 4.8% said NO and 4.5% said YES; for Moyamba 2.8% said NO and 10.3% said YES; for Port Loko 1.5% said NO and 3.2% said YES; for Pujehun 0.6% said NO and  1.9% said YES; for Tonkolili 6.1% said NO and 1.9% said YES; for Western Rural 3.1% said NO and 0.6% said YES, and for Western Urban 44.9% said NO and 42.9% said YES.

The survey further enquired from the people who said they saw enumerators in their locality whether they were actually counted by an enumerator.  And the results state that 67.9% said NO they were not counted whilst 32.1% said YES they were counted.

The district breakdown of the above responses is as follows: Bo – 0.90% said NO, and 12.00% said YES; Bombali – 4.70% NO, 8.00% YES; Bonthe – 0% NO, 2.00% YES; Falaba – 0% NO, 2.00% YES; Kailahun – 0% NO,  10.00% YES; Kambia – 7.50% NO,  0.00% YES; Karene – 13.20% NO, 0.00% YES; Kenema – 2.80% NO, 12.00% YES; Koinadugu – 0.00% NO, 0.00% YES; Kono – 0.00% NO, 14.00% YES; Moyamba – 12.30% NO, 6.00% YES; Port Loko – 0.00%NO, 10.00% YES; Pujehun – 0.00% NO, 6.00% YES; Tonkolili – 1.90% NO,  2.00% YES; Western Rural – 0.90% NO, 0.00% YES, and Western Urban – 55.70% NO, 16.00% YES.

From the above-stated figures, facts and results that emanated from the COPPP survey, it could be concluded that the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census results by Statistics Sierra Leone are fraught with serious anomalies and misgivings; hence pose serious doubts and perplexity in the hearts and minds of Sierra Leoneans and people who reside in Sierra Leone, especially residents of the capital city of Freetown, which is the Western Area of the country.

According to COPPP, the data collected from the “Have You Been Counted” Survey conducted by the Consortium in the period covering 29 December 2021 through 9 January 2022 using KoBo Toolbox Online Data Collection platform is available for independent verification.